The compact disc or CD is turning 40 years old in the U.S. this year. The first commercial CD was released in Japan in October of 1982, but they didn't make their way to the United States until March 1983. The CD served as an alternative to larger vinyl records and bulkier cassette tapes. When the first CD came out, it could hold up to 74 minutes of music, and it was only 4.5 inches in diameter. It would eventually overtake cassette sales by the late 1980s.
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed this week to its highest level in more than 20 years, grim news for would-be homebuyers already challenged by a housing market that remains competitive due to a dearth of homes for sale.
Precautions for avoiding the potentially deadly bacteria include protecting open wounds from seawater and, for those with compromised immune systems, forgoing raw or undercooked shellfish.
Public schools on Maui are starting the process of reopening and vehicle traffic is moving again in signs of recovery a week after wildfires demolished a historic town and killed over 100 people.
