Of Human Interest: News lite

, July 3 (UPI) -- CABLE INTERNET CUSTOMERS REPORT TROUBLES

More Americans are switching to cable Internet connections -- so called broadband technology -- but a new survey of users finds many are not happy with the service.

A Harris Poll survey shows 3 in 10 Americans who use the Internet now use broadband service for access but more than 50 percent of such subscribers, who responded to an online survey, said they have had problems with customer service. Ninety percent said they currently would not buy new services from their provider.

The online survey, sponsored by Motive Communications Inc., reported the most common issue was having to contact the provider multiple times to get a problem solved -- reported by 33 percent of respondents. Twenty percent said it took the provider too long to solve their problems and 7 percent reported never having their problem solved.

Other questions focused on how respondents gain access to the Internet and 57 percent of those who still use dial-up service indicated cost was the main factor preventing them from upgrading to broadband. Another 24 percent said broadband was not available in their area.

IS THIS AS GOOD AS IT GETS?

Scientists from Imperial College in London say as far as immune systems go, humans may be at the top of the charts; this is as good as it gets. Research suggests the human genome may have far fewer genes than previously estimated and the scientists write in the July issue of Trends in Immunology a more advanced immune system could explain why the human genome may have only a few more genes than the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and probably less than rice.

Dr. Andrew George says while humans normally are thought to be considerably more complex than organisms, such as plants, rice, yeast and earthworms, "this is not reflected in their number of genes, with humans having less genes than other supposedly less complex organisms."

George says the immune system is designed to protect the body from disease and because it must put up with many different types of regular cells and tissues -- by not rejecting them as harmful -- it is important it does not get overload. The larger the genome, the more the immune system has to tolerate.

"The limited size of the human genome could make further evolution for humans difficult," George says. "Fortunately, the human genome has been able to create genes which have multiple uses, thus making the best use of a limited number of genes."

FROM THE NOBODY'S PERFECT FILE

Philadelphia -- home of Independence Hall, the cradle of liberty where the Declaration of Independence was signed -- apparently needs a better spell-checker.

The Philadelphia Daily News reports thousands of Philadelphians were greeted last week at entrances of city buildings and offices by signs that read: "CLOSED INDEPENDANCE DAY." Whoops.

Frank Keel, spokesman for the mayor's office, reassured the Daily News the city had not created another paid holiday for its 25,000 employees that involved dancing on the Fourth. He says someone simply misspelled "Independence" at the print shop.

"It's an embarrassment, but a minor embarrassment," he told the newspaper. The signs were posted last week; this week, they're gone.

Footnote: It's not the first time the city has flunked spelling. Several years ago, the paper reports, new police cars arrived with the city's name misspelled on the decal.

FUELING AROUND WITH NUMBERS

The Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association says Americans should be grateful the family car doesn't run on charcoal starter fluid this Fourth of July weekend. Compared with the cost of typical holiday items, filling up the gas tank and hitting the road is a bargain at $1.40 a gallon, the AAIA said.

The group said a 32-ounce can of charcoal starter priced at $3.89 would cost $15.56 a gallon. A 16-ounce bottle of iced tea priced at $1.19 would cost $9.52 a gallon, a 6-ounce bottle of mustard selling at 85 cents would cost $18 a gallon and a 16-ounce bottle of water selling for $1.49 would be equal to $11.92 a gallon.

The AAIA's Rich White noted, "If we all powered our cars with charcoal starter at $15.56 a gallon, most of us would see our travel plans go up in smoke."

(Thanks to UPI's T.K. Maloy in Washington)