All Society
'Tonight Show' switch? Why Jimmy Fallon is creating so much buzz.A news report suggests NBC will move to Jimmy Fallon as host of 'The Tonight Show.' His style could suit the new media landscape perfectly, some say.
Steubenville's troubling question: Is rape just a part of 'hook-up culture'?Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has said the Steubenville case shows 'an unbelievable casualness about rape and about sex.' Others agree, and say something needs to be done.
Why History Channel's 'The Bible' draws boffo ratings despite reviewsReviews of History Channel's 'The Bible' are lukewarm at best, but the Easter-season series is scoring high ratings, pointing to what some call an overlooked appetite for religious storytelling.
Poll: support for gay marriage soars to record high 58 percentWashington Post/ABC News poll shows 'remarkable transformation in public attitudes' toward gay marriage, pollster says. Americans also want issue decided on basis of Constitution, not in state law.- Consumers abandon newspapers, local TV as quality of coverage sinksNearly one-third of American adults have stopped using a news source because its quality of coverage has declined amid cutbacks, a survey by Pew Research Center finds.
- America's quirky capital of booksHow tiny Montpelier, Vt., supports three independent bookstores – one with the requisite mascot, Veruca the tortoise.
Cover StoryThe novel resurgence of independent bookstoresDefying the onslaught of the e-book revolution, many small bookshops see a rise in sales, aided by savvy business practices and the 'buy local' movement.
Beyond Steubenville, rape case inspires action, angst among victimsThe Steubenville rape case, like other high-profile sex-assault cases, has been a moment for victims nationwide to come forward. Some are emboldened, others feel re-traumatized.
'Veronica Mars' online campaign passes $2 million: What's Hollywood thinking?'Veronica Mars' fans have contributed more than $2 million online in two days in hopes of turning the defunct TV show into a film. The campaign upends Hollywood's business-as-usual model.
Pope Francis signals core mission – returning Catholics to the churchIn his first blessing from the Vatican balcony, Pope Francis spoke of the 'evangelization' of Rome, a clear sign he would carry on the 'New Evangelization' legacy of John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
Parenting shift: Dads boost housework, as more moms seek full-time jobsA new study signals a major shift in the time spent by men and women on child care, chores, and paid work. Men now spend, on average, seven hours a week on child care, up from 2.5 in 1965.
Pope Francis: For Hispanic Catholics in US, a rush of joyFor Hispanic Catholics in the US, the election of Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, means the Catholic Church is being led by 'one of our own.'
Not happy, Iran, with a Hollywood movie? Argo make your own.Iran was not pleased with Ben Affleck's Oscar-winning 'Argo,' so it is planning its own take on the diplomat rescue drama. Political retaliation through moviemaking is an established practice.
FocusDrones over America: public safety benefit or 'creepy' privacy threat?Drones are not just for tracking terrorists abroad. Some 327 are authorized to fly in US airspace – most for military training. But as their numbers grow, so is domestic scrutiny.
An American pope? What could help, or hinder, two cardinals' chances.The US cardinals' experience dealing with the sex abuse crisis is seen alternately as a strength and a weakness. But other factors make any American a dark horse candidate to be the next pope.
Judge voids New York soda ban, calling it 'arbitrary and capricious'The judge said New York's soda ban, which was set to take effect Tuesday, required city council approval and was arbitrary because some retailers, such as drugstores, were not affected by the ban.
Do towns ever get over shootings?A look at Binghamton, N.Y., four years after 14 died in a mass shooting at an immigrant center.
Cover StoryHow one church is helping heal NewtownMembers of the Newtown United Methodist Church have turned to faith – and each other – to surmount a mass shooting.
NBC and 'SNL' targeted over Jesus skit. Do such ad boycotts work?Sears is taking steps to keep its ads off online rebroadcasts of the 'Saturday Night Live' skit, after a conservative Christian group complained. Such ad boycotts do have effects, say media analysts – but not usually the intended one.
The 'Argo' effect: Film could stoke suspicions about Americans abroadThe Oscar-winning film 'Argo' tells of how CIA operatives posed as a film crew to free hostages in Iran in 1979. The film could reinforce impressions in some countries that Americans are government agents.
