Philippe Matthews Show Guru Advice, Author Reviews, Tech Reviews, Entertainment News

Wildfires have burned about 1.5 million acres in Texas since January, egged on by a drought that federal forecasters say is the worst to hit the state in 45 years. Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say their weather models predict the severe drought that has parched the southern United States will continue to midsummer -- and beyond. "Predictions over weeks to one to three months suggest the drought will continue, and even intensify, in some areas as we struggle to get any rainfall," said David Brown, director of climate services for NOAA's Southern Region

Dear EarthTalk: Is air quality in the United States improving or getting worse? Is it cleaner in some parts of the country than in others?

Apple sold almost 5 million iPads around the world last quarter. But it still couldn't make them fast enough to meet demand. Apple sold almost 5 million iPads during its March quarter—and it still couldn’t keep up with the demand, company executives said during a quarterly earnings call on Wednesday

Fearing that war-crimes allegations could arise from future conflicts, the IDF is considering turning troops into impromptu combat journalists who will document wartime operations on video. As the Israeli military gears up for a likely ground war with the Palestinian military organization Hamas, the nation's brass is hoping a new plan could deflect possible war-crimes charges. The solution: Bringing cameras into the warzone.

As applications for the 2010 Inc. 500|5000 arrive, we thought it would be worthwhile to shine a spotlight on some of the companies that are vying to appear on our ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.

The United States Postal Service wants you to "go green in 2011," so its released--just in time for Earth Day, we imagine-- a set of stamps with little tips on how to achieve better harmony with nature.

Each day, Inc.'s reporters scour the Web for the most important and interesting news to entrepreneurs. Here's what we found today. Is the "check in" nearly dead

Workers get hurt all the time, both on the job and off. In 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 1,238,490 injury or illness cases in the United States requiring days away from work to recuperate.

By Nadia Drake of Nature magazine Every year, thousands of undocumented migrants make the dangerous crossing from Mexico to Arizona in the United States through the Sonoran Desert. [More]

Illustration by Brock Davis Water is becoming a high-stakes business where there's money to be made everywhere you look -- from greasy wool to microchips. In the rangeland of Australia, sheep get frightfully dirty

American consumers put the brakes on major purchases through 2008 and 2009, and car sales—for both new and used vehicles—suffered significantly. Now, more than a year after government incentives (remember Cash for Clunkers?) got consumers back onto the auto sales floor, the industry is recovering—and could face a big boost due to a simple fact: people are sick of driving their beaters.

Call it the comeback car.

As businesses go global , the market for second-language acquisition continues to grow due to both increasing globalization and an increasingly diverse U.S. population

Once considered a trend , environmentalism has established itself as permanent and profitable. "Environmental consulting is a mature business now," says Brad Mauer, business development manager for Sovereign Consulting Inc., an environmental consulting firm based in Robbinsville, New Jersey

Big players like Bank of America and Wells Fargo may rule the financial world, but there is still some room for the little guy to make a buck. Bolstered by an improved economy, the financial planning, advice, and investment industry saw an 11 percent increase in sales in 2010, according Sageworks. And as more Americans pull out of the recession, demand for professional financial advice is poised to increase.