All Society
FocusFrom Sterling to Bundy, how to respond when speech offends?Inflammatory words about race or sexuality can fan public outrage and even result in professional sacking. Some say America must be sure to protect free speech rights. Others cite need for civil society.
Five public figures whose comments landed them in hot water In today's 24/7 news cycle, it isn’t hard for controversial comments about race and other sensitive topics to turn into a public spectacle. Here are five individuals who made controversial statements – and here are the consequences they faced.
Rowling's kinda, sorta return to 'Harry Potter' gets a kinda, sorta responseJ.K. Rowling has written a short article about Harry Potter on her website Pottermore. But the days when any Potter prose set the world spinning are apparently waning.
New Old West: The Colorado restaurant where everyone carries a gunBig businesses like Target and Starbucks are asking customers to please leave your guns at home. Not so at Shooters Grill in Rifle, Colo., where owners Lauren and Jayson Boebert, their servers, and many customers carry guns.
Funky Fourth of July traditions: Hot dog gorging, marshmallow fighting, and moreThe Fourth of July isn't just parades and fireworks. From a hot dog contest to marshmallow fighting, here's a sample of odd Fourth of July traditions from shore to shore – and beyond.
Target goes gun-free, becoming biggest US retailer asking customers to disarmMoms Demand Action has launched online petitions against corporations after members of open-carry groups brought loaded assault-style firearms into stores. In the case of Target, 400,000 signatures were collected.
- Census outlines 'poverty areas': Which states hit hardest?
One in 4 people have lived in poverty areas in recent years. Experts point to the Great Recession, in particular housing and job challenges, as factors behind the census numbers.
Facebook's secret experiment on users had a touch of 'Inception'Facebook secretly tweaked some users' news feeds as part of an experiment on 'emotional contagion.' The results were fascinating, but raise questions about online ethics.
'Gay Pride' events celebrate a year of advancement for gay rightsGay rights activists and supporters celebrated this weekend with “Gay Pride” parades and other events around the country. They’re also looking to advance same-sex marriage and other gay rights issues.
Marijuana: Pot use declines worldwide, but not in the USMarijuana legalization for recreational as well as medical purposes is growing in the US. A new UN report raises warning flags, especially for young or regular users.
US Census: Youth diversity hits all-time highNever has America's under-18 population been more racially and ethnically diverse, new census data show. A bare majority of children and youths are white, compared with 62.6 percent for the general population.
On social issues, America edges steadily leftThe tendency among Americans to be more conservative on social issues is shifting, mainly because of changing attitudes among Democrats and younger people.
Most important summer activity for kids? Not reading, many parents say.Although 83 percent of parents say it is very or extremely important that their children read this summer, only 17 percent say it is the most important activity, a new survey finds. Playing outside scores higher.
O.J. Simpson car chase: how it foreshadowed a new media landscapeTwenty years ago Tuesday night, 95 million Americans watched a white Ford Bronco carrying O.J. Simpson move slowly along California streets and freeways. It essentially started a new television era.
Post-Casey Kasem, what is 'Top 40' music, exactly?Casey Kasem's 'American Top 40' marked an America united by pop music in the era of commercial radio. But with the Internet, what constitutes a hit today is elusive.
Brooklyn Bridge gun control march: Could pushback against gun culture be working?Gun control advocates marched in New York City Saturday, part of the effort to take on America’s gun culture and the deadly shootings happening daily in the United States.
- Progress WatchTeen alcohol use, sexual activity, and smoking decreasing, CDC finds
The percentage of students who had smoked cigarettes at least once in the past 30 days was 15.7 percent, the lowest figure since tracking began in 1991, according to the CDC.
Cover StoryRise of the 'flex' economyThe American labor force is undergoing a fundamental shift as more people become freelancers, contract workers, and part-timers – bringing new flexibility but also new insecurities.
Being gay: Upbringing or born that way?As rapid and wide-spread advances are being made in gay rights, including same-sex marriage, Americans remain divided over whether homosexuality is present before birth or acquired.
- Food stamp soda study: Less soda, less obesity
Food stamp soda study: A Stanford University study showed that banning the use of food stamps to buy soda, would reduce obesity. But others say that food stamp recipients would switch to cash to buy soda.
