Top Stories

Gas Rationing Over in New Jersey

The gas rationing has ended in New Jersey in the wake of Super Storm Sandy.  Governor Chris Christie says it was put in place because some stations couldn’t get fuel, and still others didn’t have electricity to be able to pump it.  Rationing is still going on in parts of New York.

Over the Highway and through the Woods

If you’re driving over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house next Thursday, leave early.  AAA says 90-percent of Thanksgiving travelers will be driving to get their turkey, and only 7-percent flying.  That’s thanks in part to airfare being up 9-percent, but rental cars are up even more – 25-percent over last year, and hotel rooms are 2.5-percent higher.  Plus America’s travel budget is down about 50 dollars.

“Giving Tuesday” with a Goodsearch Twist

We have Black Friday for die-hard shoppers.  Cyber Monday for the online crowd.  And now Giving Tuesday.  On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, every time you use the online search engine at www.Goodsearch.com, a donation is made to your favorite cause – at no extra cost to you.  Plus GoodSearch will have dozens of deals and discounts that day.  More than 108-thousand charities and schools have helped raise close to 10 million dollars using GoodSearch.

Religion Course Credits Allowed to Stand in Religious Freedom Victory

A victory yesterday for religious freedom, as the Supreme Court denied an appeal from the Freedom From Religion Foundation that will allow students to get elective school credit for religion courses.  The case goes back to 2009 and started when a school district in South Carolina was sued for allowing the elective credits.  The superintendent there, Dr. Russell Booker, refused to give up the fight, and it’s been in the courts for three years.  The 4th Circuit last year unanimously sided with the school.  They were represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

Flexibility for Your Phone, Literally

Always having trouble finding your phone?  What if you could roll it up and stick it in your pocket?  That may be on the way.  Samsung is moving forward on a plan to mass-produce screens that are made out of flexible plastic, making the phones lighter, nearly unbreakable, and bendable.  They’ve been working on perfecting it since 2002.

Faith

Bible App for the Deaf

Faith Comes By Hearing are the folks that put together the Military Bible Stick, an audio version of the Scriptures for our troops.  Now they’ve created an app for the deaf.  There are approximately 70 million deaf people in the world today, and estimates say less than 2-percent of them have been reached with the Gospel message.  So the free app DeafBible.IS not only allows them to read the Scriptures, but also watch videos of people signing.

Family & Relationships

USA Premature Births Drop

The nation’s rate of premature births is down again, for the fifth straight year.  The current rate is that 11.7-percent of all births are premature.  That’s good enough to get a “C” grade from the March of Dimes, which has set a goal of 9.6-percent by 2020.  The highest rates are in the South.

Work

Job Cuts Attributed to Health Care Law

More layoffs could be on the way.  Applebee’s and Papa John’s are the latest companies to say they may have to layoff workers in the new year, when more of the Affordable Care Act begins to take effect.  John Schnatter with Papa John’s estimates the new law will cost his company $5 million to $8 million a year, and they’ll either have to make that up by cutting workers – or raising prices – or both.

Stressful Work with Likeable Coworkers

Work is stressful, but at least we like the people.  A new survey by Gallup shows just 29-percent of workers are completely satisfied with their stress levels at work, but close to 70-percent like their co-workers.  Close to 30-percent of us would like a raise too.  Please?

Striking Workers May Precipitate Permanent Job Loss

Hostess has closed 3 more bakeries thanks to a strike by bakers over a new contract that was imposed in bankruptcy court.  That’s 627 jobs that are lost, and the maker of Twinkies says they could go into liquidation if workers don’t return to their jobs soon.

Health

Doing the Right One Thing With Thanksgiving Eating

You’ve been good all year.  Didn’t even eat all the kids Halloween candy, but starting a week from tomorrow comes the real test – Thanksgiving dinner. How do you make sure to you don’t go too far? Dr. Chris Mohr suggests a light workout on Thanksgiving morning can actually help decrease your appetite. So he suggests, after you put the turkey in, take a brisk walk or some other kind of exercise.  And maybe even a walk after dinner and before your nap. Dr. Mohr also says that increasing your intake of Omega 3 may actually increase leptin, leptin tells you you’re full, so you may not eat or overeat as much.

College Stress Effects Often Undiagnosed

College can be pretty stressful, and a lot of times make your blood pressure go up, but your chances of being diagnosed aren’t all that high.  New research from the University of Wisconsin found that 18-24 yr olds often have high blood pressure, but they’re less likely to get a hypertension diagnosis than people 60+ - and as a result less likely to be treated for it.

Claim: New Drink Can Block Fat

One day we hear too many sugary drinks aren’t good for you.  The next day it’s don’t drink diet pop.  Pepsi may have found the happy medium.  They are getting ready to unveil a new product in Japan they’re calling “Pepsi Special” – a new drink that claims to block fat.  It’s sugar-free, but has dextrin in it – which is essentially the same stuff that’s in Dexatrim.  If it goes over well there, it could be in the US soon.

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Super Storm Sandy

Clothed in Compassion

Nick Sippl is from Northern Michigan. He is in New York helping victims of Super Storm Sandy through his job.  Seeing the need first hand, he has organized a clothing drive. He says The police and the National guard were literally not knocking on doors, but kicking in doors to see if anyone was home. They had to be evacuated the water was rising so much. This lady I talked to was about five and a half feet tall. She told me when she came out of the house they were holding their children over their heads. When she came down to the street level, the water was up to her neck. They had pretty much lost everything. When they came in, we got them dried off. "That’s what got me thinking, these people have nothing." If you live in the area, please drop clothing off at Ogemaw Hills Free Methodist Church. Click here for their address and phone number. There's a trailer parked outside where you can place your donation.

Salvation Style

Pearl Foy is using one of the talents God has given her to raise money for Super Storm Sandy victims. She will give it to the victims by way of the Salvation Army. She's organizing a Hair Cut-A-Thon. It will be held on Sunday November 11th from 10am-5pm in the Phoenix Arizona area. There are two locations. One is located at the Turning Point Beauty College in Mesa. The other will be held at Kor Beauty Academy in Peoria. 

Help Salvation Army Relief Efforts with A Simple Text

Text the word "STORM" to 80888. Then respond with a "yes" when the text response comes to you.
 

Give Blood and Money Through Red Cross

Because many blood donation centers on the east coast are closed, it is even more important for we who are out of harm’s way to donate. www.RedCross.org has all you need to know. You may also give money via that web site, or you can give $10 via text message by texting the word “RedCross” to 90999.

Slice of Family Life Nation reaches Out to Sandy victims

Nick Sippl is from Northern Michigan, but he’s in New York right now helping the victims of Hurricane Sandy.  Nick has gone the extra mile to organize a clothing drive after seeing one family’s struggle. Nick told FLR News, “The police and the National guard were literally not knocking on doors, but kicking in doors to see if anyone was home. They had to be evacuated the water was rising so much. This lady I talked to was about five and a half feet tall. She told me when she came out of the house they were holding their children over their heads. When she came down to the street level, the water was up to her neck. They had pretty much lost everything. When they came in, we got them dried off. That’s what got me thinking, these people have nothing.” Nick says the National Guard had to literally kick in some people’s doors to see if they were home.  We’ve got more stories and links up on this page.