All Society
'Noah': not all believers hate big-budget, biblical blockbusterIn the spirit of 'Ben Hur' and 'The Ten Commandments,' Hollywood is back mining the Bible for box office gold with 'Noah.' Other epics are in the wings, including ex-Batman Christian Bale as Moses.
Poll finds broad, rapid shift among Americans toward gay marriagePersonal contact with gay family members, friends, and neighbors is driving a speedy shift in attitudes about gay marriage, pollster says. A new survey puts support at 55 percent, with 40 percent opposed.- 'God's Not Dead': What low-budget hit says about Christians and Hollywood'God's Not Dead' plays to Christians who feel their faith is caricatured or mocked by Hollywood. It finished fifth at the box office this weekend amid sharply mixed reviews.
National Puppy Day! Pamper your poochDog lovers are celebrating "National Puppy Day" this weekend. Puppies have happy and sometimes sad stories to tell, but there's no denying the universal joy, enthusiasm, and loyalty they inspire.
Cover StoryWhy heroin is spreading in America's suburbsThe drug has followed prescription painkillers into new neighborhoods, forcing police and parents to confront an unexpected problem.
'Game of Thrones' previews in New York: scalped tickets and a bus-sized dragonThousands of New York fans of HBO's smash hit 'Game of Thrones' gave the series' author and creator rock-star treatment at the sneak preview for Season Four.
Fred Phelps: no funeral for the preacher who picketed so manyFred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church tormented countless funerals to spread their message against homosexuality and abortion. He died Thursday.
Colorado wrestles with how to keep edible marijuana away from kidsA new law extends the same packaging requirements to medical marijuana products as exist for recreational pot, but critics say it's still hard for kids to tell if a gummy bear is pot-infused.
Fred Phelps legacy: Should Westboro Baptist founder be picketed?With reports that Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps is near death, some gay-rights advocates are conflicted. In the end, they say, his actions actually helped their cause.
Could Westboro Baptist Church survive without founder Fred Phelps?Westboro Baptist Church, which pickets military funerals to preach against homosexuality, has excommunicated ailing founder Fred Phelps, according to reports.
St. Patrick's Day shenanigans to feature blarney, malarkey, say hooligansWhy do so many Irish names have negative connotations?
Cover StoryWhy African-Americans are moving back to the SouthAfter decades of moving north, thousands of blacks are returning to their Southern roots for economic and cultural reasons.- N.J. judge cites women's rights in barring unwed dad from child's birthPatients alone get to decide who is at their bedsides, a New Jersey judge has ruled. Fathers have no court-established right to be in delivery rooms – or even be notified – when their children are born, he said.
'Cosmos': Can Fox reboot shine amid 'billions and billions' of options?'Cosmos,' the Fox remake of Carl Sagan's classic PBS series, 'Cosmos, A Personal Journey,' was seen by 8.5 million viewers across 10 channels on Sunday, according to early reports.
Best predictor of divorce? Age when couples cohabit, study says.A new study suggests the age when couples start cohabiting – whether married or unmarried – correlates with divorce rates, adding new nuance to studies about cohabitation and marriage.
Where Oscars flopped: Bid to live stream the show online broke downABC promised online viewers a live stream of the Oscars telecast Sunday, but a 'traffic overload' crashed the Internet broadcast for most of the show, generating some angry Tweets.
Oscars 2014: Why '12 Years a Slave,' 'Gravity' both won bigAt the Oscars Sunday, 'Gravity' took home the most awards, seven, but Best Picture went to '12 Years a Slave.' That could reflect different values that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences wants to recognize.
2014 Academy Awards: Why Hollywood is taking a walk on the dark sideFrom 'American Hustle' to the 'Wolf of Wall Street,' nearly all of Hollywood's top films this year are based on real events and cater to Americans' cynicism about society, at a time when heroes are in short supply.
Progress WatchFewer are behaving badly at work, survey finds. What changed?Observed misconduct in US workplaces is at its lowest point in almost two decades, an achievement that appears to be related to companies’ increasing investment in ethics and compliance initiatives.
Cover StoryHow colleges are finding tomorrow's prodigiesAmerican universities are using online courses to discover gifted students in math, science, and the arts. Meet three phenoms from the far corners of the world.
