NEW YORK (AP) — For as long as there has been a publishing industry, there have been used books, that supposedly quaint world of polymaths and antiquarians poking about musty, cluttered stores for titles few readers would know. But a landmark study released Wednesday confirms what publishers, authors and booksellers have believed — and feared…

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — In the “MyPyramid Blast Off” game, kids load a rocket ship with the right combination of healthy foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lowfat or fat-free milk and lean meat. Load up with the wrong kind of fuel, or too much of it, and you can’t blast off to Planet Power. The…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Charge it! That familiar refrain is producing an unwanted response for more Americans: Your bill is overdue! Surging energy prices, low personal savings and the higher cost of borrowing have combined to produce a record level of overdue credit card bills. The American Bankers Association reported Wednesday that the percentage of credit…

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Karen Hughes works to repair the United States’ image in a trip overseas, her State Department colleagues have received a report underscoring how tough a task she faces. Based on their own travels to the Persian Gulf, Egypt and Britain, a nine-member advisory committee headed by former Secretary of State Colin…

JOHN ROBERTS (AP Photo) WASHINGTON (AP) — John Glover Roberts Jr. won confirmation as the 17th chief justice of the United States Thursday, overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate to lead the Supreme Court through turbulent social issues for generations to come. The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm Roberts — a 50-year-old U.S. Appeals judge from…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Phil Bredesen is being lauded by a national literacy organization for his efforts to promote early childhood education and reading in Tennessee. Bredesen received the “Gift of Reading” award from Reading Is Fundamental on Tuesday in Washington, where he was honored for his work to fund preschools and promote reading at…

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Valley Authority directors voted Wednesday to auction off 578 acres on the shores of Nickajack Lake near Chattanooga, approving a land deal that could foreshadow more luxury golf-course developments along the relatively pristine Tennessee River. Chattanooga developer John “Thunder” Thornton, the only known interested bidder, wants to erect a $450 million…

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Nashville police department was warned against repeatedly shocking suspects with a stun gun a few months before the weekend death of a Nashville man after being shocked 19 times. “Repeated, prolonged, and/or continuous exposure(s) to the Taser electrical discharge may cause strong muscle contractions that may impair breathing and respiration,” the…

CLINTON (AP) — A Japanese auto parts manufacturer has opened a plant in Anderson County and hired 124 workers with expectations to employ up to 400 in two years. Aisin Automotive Casting Tennessee Inc., a subsidiary of Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., makes oil pumps, water pumps, pistons and cylinder head covers for Toyota, Honda and…

DETROIT (AP) — After years in the shadow of sport utility vehicles, little cars are getting more attention thanks to consumer concern about high gas prices. Nissan Motor Co., which has auto assembly and engine production plants in Tennessee, said Wednesday it is adding a subcompact to its lineup. The 2007 Nissan Versa will go…