The American shopper is dazed and confused. What do I really want, versus what do I really need Sure, I can afford the plasma television now, but should I save that $2,000, in case I get laid off tomorrow Can I really tell my snobby friends that I now shop at — egads — Walmart To gauge the mindset of the American consumer, and the state of shopping during this recession, TIME checked in with respected retail expert Paco Underhill, the CEO of Envirosell, a consulting firm, and author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. Give us a snapshot of the American consumer landscape. We can divide the American consumer into thirds
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How to Fix the Oscars: Make the Votes Public
The Oscar show needs fixing — everyone agrees on that.
The Nuclear Risk: How Long Will Our Luck Hold?
This is how a submarine-launched ballistic missile works: once airborne, the 60-ton missile travels out of the earth’s atmosphere into sub-orbit, where it moves toward its target at a shade under 4 miles a second. Approaching its destination, the tip of the missile splits into multiple, independently targeted warheads, each loaded with bombs up to 24 times more powerful than the Hiroshima blast, which re-enter the atmosphere in a spectacle that from the ground would resemble a meteor shower, before it resembled a thousand roaring suns. There are hundreds of these and similar land-based long-range missiles ready to launch at a moment’s notice.
Karzai, Pelosi talk counter-terrorism, reconstruction
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Afghan President Hamid Karzai America’s "new strategy" in Afghanistan will focus on reconstructing the war-battered country and maintaining strong counter-terrorism measures, his office said.
Catholic Judges and Abortion: Did the Pope Set New Rules?
Much has been made of the statement on abortion that Pope Benedict XVI issued earlier this week after meeting with Nancy Pelosi. But the Vatican’s choice of words as they related to the Speaker of the House was quite predictable, given her pro-choice stance and her position as a high-ranking Catholic Democrat. The Holy Father simply made clear their differences on the issue and reminded the American politician of her responsibilities as a Catholic to protect life “at all stages of its development.” What was quite surprising, and overlooked, had to do with a different branch of the U.S
U.S. officials: Hamas slipped note to Obama via senator
Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas passed Sen. John Kerry a letter for President Obama while Kerry visited Gaza on Thursday, senior State Department officials said. The letter for the president is in the hands of the U.S
The Case for a Truth Commission
More than 30 years ago, a special Senate investigation peered into abuses that included spying on the American people by their own government. The findings by Senator Frank Church’s committee, drawn from testimony spanning 800 witnesses and thousands of pages of government documents, revealed how powerful government surveillance tools were misused against the American people
Study: Proximity to fast-food restaurants linked to stroke risk
A person’s risk of stroke is associated with the number of fast-food restaurants near their residence, according to a study presented Thursday at a stroke conference in San Diego, California. Researchers led by Dr
American car owners want automakers held accountable
Tracy Dupire of Worthington, Indiana, loves to drive her 2002 Ford Mustang convertible with the top down when the weather is nice. She’s always had an American car and hopes she always will.
China Buys Australia On the Cheap
Earlier this decade, the Chinese began what they called their “Go Out” strategy.