All Society
Philip Seymour Hoffman death: A cautionary tale about branded heroin?It's fashionable to tag heroin with trendy names, such as 'Ace of Spades' – the brand reportedly found in Philip Seymour Hoffman's home. But the labels mean nothing, experts warn, and heroin can be cut with anything, including deadly substances.
Flash! Fox News is the most trusted network ... and the least trustedAmericans rank Fox News as No. 1 most trusted television news network, a new poll finds. But a similar percentage ranks Fox at the bottom. Why? Republicans like Fox. Democrats don't.
New York lawmakers bite hard on Bitcoin: why that's good for investorsIn two days of hearings, New York regulators sought to learn the fundamentals of the Bitcoin system. Experts say regulation would bestow legitimacy on the virtual currency.
Pete Seeger: in the words of other musicians who knew himPete Seeger, who died Monday, recorded 100 albums and is widely credited as a mentor to many in the folk tradition. Here are reflections from others in the music world.
MLK Day of Service: Carrying his legacy forward by doing for othersAmericans all over the country are honoring the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. by giving back to their community and taking part in the national MLK Day of Service.
Saving horses from slaughterA new law bans the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the US. Animal rights advocates are pushing a law that would prevent the export of horses for slaughter.
Smoking reports from surgeon general: What will it take to fully snuff it out?Fifty years after the surgeon general's first report on the subject, smoking is still identified as the leading preventable cause of death in the US. What role will public policy play in the next 50 years?
Homeless in South 'ran for their lives' as polar vortex bit hardThe polar vortex that froze water in all 50 states raised special concerns in the usually mild South. A quick civic response – extra patrols, warming centers, expanded hours at homeless shelters – helped reduce fatalities among the region's homeless population.
Duck Dynasty guns? Yep, but will new product line actually revive hunting?Duck Dynasty guns, a new line of Mossberg shotguns and rifles, is the latest offering from Phil Robertson and his bayou-based clan. Some see early evidence that the 'Duck Dynasty' craze may help boost hunting, at a time when ducks and geese are relatively plentiful.- Chicago murders drop in 2013. Good police work, or something else?Chicago police credit new techniques targeting gangs and violence-prone neighborhoods with the sharp drop in homicides, but analysts say changes in gang disputes may be a big factor.
Father of slain girl forgives Colorado shooter. Is that helpful?Michael Davis said Wednesday that he and his wife have forgiven Arapahoe High student Karl Pierson for fatally shooting their daughter Claire. Not all who suffer such a loss choose to walk the forgiveness path, but here's why some do.- Percentage of Republicans who believe in evolution is shrinkingA Pew study finds that the percentage of Republicans who believe that Darwin's theory of evolution is correct has dropped 11 percent in about five years. That is suggestive of the country's broader polarization, the authors say.
Wordpocalypse! 'Selfie,' 'twerk' top list of most annoying words of 2013.Seen one too many 'selfies' of the Kardashians or still recovering from Miley Cyrus's 'twerk'-fest at the MTV Video Music Awards? You are not alone.
'Duck Dynasty' star told men to marry 15-year-old girls. Is that even legal?Phil Robertson of 'Duck Dynasty' has a new controversy: A video has surfaced in which he counsels men to marry young teen brides. While that's legal, it's not necessarily sage advice, data show.
Phil Robertson reinstated: How Christmas saved 'Duck Dynasty'After a stand-off with the 'Duck Dynasty' family over patriarch Phil Robertson's comments about gay people, which many found offensive, the A&E cable network backed down in return for the family's pledge to promote tolerance.
‘Duck Dynasty’: Will ‘I Stand With Phil’ petition work?‘Duck Dynasty’ patriarch, Phil Robertson, is the beneficiary of a petition that has gathered almost 250,000 signatures, in the wake of his controversial comments about gays. There’s been other pushback, too, to the condemnation of Mr. Robertson.
FocusLegal pot is imminent in Colorado and Washington. Are they ready?Starting in 2014, it will be legal to sell marijuana over the counter in two US states to anyone over 21. Colorado and Washington spent a year crafting a regulatory framework they hope will pass federal muster. Now, the testing day is almost here.
Good news for kids: Fathers playing a bigger role in their livesFrom changing diapers and reading books to sharing meals and carpooling, fathers' involvement in their children's lives continues to expand beyond the role of playmate, a CDC survey finds.
'Duck Dynasty' in peril over Phil Robertson suspension. Why did this happen?The family at the center of A&E's 'Duck Dynasty' said they may not be able to go on without clan patriarch Phil Robertson. His remarks on homosexuality illustrate a cultural divide in America.
Why are 59 unreleased Beatles songs now on iTunes?The majority of the songs are already circulating among collectors, but the officially issued recordings on iTunes are significant for their sound quality, at least one Beatles expert says.
