Ever wonder why you can't stop reaching for those Hershey Kisses during your workday? A new study shows that sugar is actually more addictive than cocaine. According to food blog Slashfood, rats tested in the study were given a choice between sugar water and cocaine and an astonishing 94 percent chose the sugar water.--James Park

It may be hard to believe that it's already been two years since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast. To mark the second anniversary since those tragic events, Microsoft is launching a program to help the more than 125,000 small and medium-sized businesses that were affected by the storm. The company announced today that it will provide a year of licensing at no charge for Microsoft software purchased by affected small businesses. Some of the eligibility requirements include having fewer than 200 employees and having been in business prior to Hurricane Katrina's and Hurricane Rita's landfalls.--James Park

As today's younger generation casts it aside as technology of the past, the compact disc marked its 25th anniversary  this month after years of rollercoaster success. Since its introduction on August 17, 1982 by co-producers Philips and Sony, the CD quickly replaced its predecessor, the cassette tape, as the mainstay medium for the music business.

However, the CD began showing signs of age after the turn of the century and has been running out of steam ever since. CD sales peaked in 2001 with 712 million discs sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures. Last year's sales topped off at 553 million, a 22 percent drop from the CD's heyday. Several efforts have been made to prolong the CD's influence, including a DualDisc format and recent attempts to package bonus material with the discs.

But if the many iPod-toting kids of today are any indication, the CD will likely continue to lose its luster. MP3 players and digital downloads can "absolutely" replace the CD, admitted one of the disc's creators, Philips' former optical research head Peter Kramer. "You never know how long a standard will last," Kramer said. "But it was a solid, good standard and still is."--Kevin Manahan