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Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Higher prices for turkeys will make Thanksgiving dinner more expensive and means some people who rely on food banks will have to do without a traditional holiday dinner.

The culprit is higher feed prices that have caused an approximate 2 percent drop in production, leading to a 28 percent jump in the wholesale price of turkey over a year ago. Frozen turkeys rose to $1.09 a pound on average Thursday, which was the highest price ever recorded.

Corn is the main ingredient in turkey feed, accounting for 70 percent of the ingredients. Therefore, the fact that corn prices rose by 47 percent in the past year had a huge impact on the cost of raising turkeys.

Look for prices to rise further as competition for corn is heating up because corn is not only used in food for human consumption and in animal feed, but also in the manufacturing of ethanol fuel for vehicles.

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials expect turkey production to fall 1.3 percent this year to 5.514 billion pounds.

Although retailers usually discount turkey prices around holiday time, analysts do not expect to see deep discounts this season because there is not much wiggle room for retailers to sell birds at a steep discount without taking severe losses.

Agriculture Department officials estimate wholesale turkey prices for eastern markets will run about $1 to $1.04 during the fourth quarter of this year compared to 84 cents per pound for Q4 2009. Retail prices for frozen turkeys were $157 per pound in September, the highest prices since 1980 and 7.7 percent higher than a year ago.

Food banks around the country, including some in California and Texas, are already saying they do not expect to have enough turkeys to hand out to poor families this year.

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Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Burdened by a weak economy and the use of electronic communications, the Postal Service is studying options to keep itself viable after its request for a 2 cent increase in rates was denied.

The agency wanted to raise the price of first class mail to 46 cents, and that of postcards to 30 cents by next year. The Postal Regulatory Commission, however, unanimously ruled Thursday against a rate hike, saying there were no exigent circumstances to justify it.

The Postal Service has the power, under a 2006 law, to implement rate increases higher than the annual cap but only during exigent situations such as a natural disaster or terror attack.

“The Postal Service’s cash flow problem is not a result of the recession and would have occurred whether or not the recession took place. lt is the result of other, unrelated structural problems and the proposed exigent rate adjustments would neither solve nor delay those problems,” the commission said.

The author of the 2006 law, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), had opposed the request for a price increase.

“In addition to not meeting the criteria set forth in the law, the exigent rate case is simply a bad business decision,” she said in a statement. “Rather than help restore postal solvency, an exigent rate increase will worsen the Postal Service’s crisis by further driving down mail volumes and thus revenues.”

The Postal Service expects a budget gap of about $7 billion next year despite cost cutting measures worth $10 billion in the last three years.

The agency receives no federal funds for its operations and depends only on revenues from postage and other services. It wants Congress to restructure its $5.5 billion annual payment to the Retiree Health Benefit Fund, an obligation it said it was able to pay for this fiscal year.

“The financial risk remains,” said postmaster general John Potter. “We will carefully manage every dollar we spend in the upcoming fiscal year. Our current forecast shows that we will not have sufficient cash to make the $5.5 billion payment due on Sept. 30, 2011.”

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More schools are putting Washington-grown food on the cafeteria menu and farms are increasingly interested in selling to schools, but getting locally grown products onto lunch trays is no easy matter.

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Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – A Tacoma, Washington-based toy maker is recalling children’s mood rings because of high levels of lead.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said “Love Tester” mood rings and necklaces from D&D Distributing-Wholesale could pose a health hazard to children.

No injuries have been reported from the products but the agency warns that lead is toxic if ingested by children.

About 19,000 rings and 4,000 necklaces are being recalled. The products were imported by the company from China and sold nationwide from 2005 through this year.

Customers are advised to return the products to the store from which they were purchased. They can get back the $4 they paid for the jewelry or receive a replacement product.

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Chicago, IL, United States (AHN) – Stockholders of United Airlines and Continental Airlines both approved Friday the merger of two leading carriers which is expected to be finalized on Oct. 1.

UAL Corp., the parent company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, said that more than 98 percent of votes cast and 84 percent of shares outstanding were voted by stockholders in favor of the transaction.

More than 98 percent of votes cast and 75 percent of shares outstanding were also voted by Continental stockholders in favor of the same.

“This vote is a significant step toward closing our merger with Continental, creating the world’s leading airline and the industry’s best network for our customers,” Glenn Tilton, United chairman and CEO said in a statement.

He added the merger will also create “a strong company that provides career opportunity for our people and an airline that can deliver return for our shareholders.”

“There is much work ahead as we bring these two companies together, pulling the best from both of our companies and building on the work we have each done to strengthen our airlines,” Tilton said.

Jeff Smisek, Continental’s chairman, president and CEO said that “in approving the transaction, our stockholders recognized the value of bringing together (the two companies) to create a platform for increased profitability and sustainable long-term value.”

United and Continental announced an all-stock merger of equals on May 3. The companies have received clearance on proposed merger from the United States Department of Justice and European Commission.

United hires 46,000 employees and operates some 3,300 flights a day to more than 230 U.S. domestic and international destinations from its hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C. It has key global air rights in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Latin America.

United ranked first in on-time performance for domestic scheduled flights for 2009 among America’s five largest global carriers as measured by Department of Transportation and published in Air Travel Consumer Report for 2009.

Continental has 40,000 employees and operations of more than 2,700 daily departures throughout Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 132 domestic and 137 international destinations. It has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries some 63 million passengers annually.

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Welcome to the Nation’s capitol! Yes, folks talk politics in this town like the rest of us talk about our sport’s teams. But they aren’t really that bad – the D.C. folk really do know how to loosen up those ties. D.C. is a town that loves its Happy Hour – a time when you can catch up with friends or meet new ones.

We saw you smuggle your after-work change of clothes into your cubicle so that you’re ready for the 5 o’clock bell. Go ahead, leave your car in the office garage – you can always cab it home or Metro it back to work the next morning.

Like most cities, Washington, D.C. is a collection of smaller neighborhoods (there are 14 of them), each having its own flavor and charm. Architecture and attitude changes from one block to the other, creating a cultural patchwork that can be fascinating for locals and tourists alike. The city has plenty of energy from all the politics, government, and colleges in town. From the Vietnamese places in Arlington, V.A. to the charming brownstones of Georgetown; from the urban feel of the Connecticut Corridor near Woodley Park and Cleveland Park to the alternative minded Dupont Circle, each area in this city offers up something unique.

One of our favorite things to do in D.C. is to just waste the day or night away on the Mall. But remember, this is not the shopping type. It’s the Quad or grassy park in between all the cool national monuments and museums in the heart of the city. The Smithsonian museums are free and allow you to explore art, history, space, and much more. You also feel the National pride as you stroll thru the Mall. So, even if you hated science class, you’ll still have fun whispering inside the Capitol rotunda. While in the area, you must stop by the Spy Museum – with all its interesting tidbits about the real James Bonds. Just try to remember your alias as you navigate thru the interactive maze of espionage. And, make a reservation since the lines are known to get a bit out of hand.

Worked up an appetite seeing all those landmarks in our nation’s capitol? When you’ve had your fill of historical lessons and facts that you’ve forgotten since the 6th grade, it’s time to get your groove on. Here then are our journeyPod Picks for wining and dining your own party (political or not), while in D.C.: (more…)