Fire Prevention Week 2009

This week, October 4th-9th is Fire Prevention Week, and this year the focus is on burn awareness and prevention, in addition the usual awareness about how to keep your home safe from fires.

In order to prevent burns, the National Fire Prevention Association, recommends simple steps like wearing short-sleeved or close fitting clothes when cooking over a stove and testing bath water before getting in.

To get involved in the week, educate yourself about some easy ways you can take to fire-proof your home, like:

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OUTRAGE: a documentary about don't ask, don't tell policies in D.C.

Tonight at 9pm ET/PT, HBO is premiering the documentary, Outrage, Kirby Dick’s searing indictment of politicians with appalling gay-rights voting records who actively campaign against the gay community they reportedly belong to, at least covertly.

Dick's film declares up front that there is a widespread conspiracy among closeted gay lawmakers, who often publicly speak and vote as "social conservatives" opposing basic rights for gay people.

Cheetahs to help disabled?

Don’t look for seeing-eye cheetahs anytime in the near future, but the agile cats may help disabled people in a surprising way – by inspiring better artificial legs.

One athlete has already benefited from research on animals: South African paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius sprints on carbon fiber artificial feet called the "Cheetah".

Researchers are studying cheetahs hoping that by discovering what makes the cheetah the fastest land mammal in the world they'll discover the key to more sophisticated ways of helping humans run faster and designing human prosthetics.

Autism on the rise?

The results of a study published today in the journal Pediatrics found that one in every 91 children ages 3 to 17 have autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The figure is startling because up to now, it was believed that autism affected 1 in 150 children.

Experts are advising people not to panic, as the new numbers may just be an indication of growing awareness about the disorder. Increased awareness will have a positive impact on further research for the autism spectrum disorders.

Pregnant Smoking Could Make Psychotic Children

New studies may suggest that smoking while pregnant will increase the chance your child will develop psychotic symptoms. Researchers from four British universities have determined that smoking increases the chance your future teenager will have psychotic symptoms like hallucinations or delusions. The study also connects excessive alcohol drinking to psychotic behavior.

Smoking and drinking while pregnant have long been linked to babies being born smaller, having heart disease, and sudden death. Despite these facts, 11 percent of American women continue to smoke while pregnant.

Voting Scheme Makes Mexican Man Famous

Rafael Acosta isn't your typical politician - he wears Rambo-style headbands and takes off his shirt in public. Yet with no previous elected experience, Acosta was recently voted to be the President of Iztapalapa, the most populated section of Mexico City.