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- N.Y. newspaper's map of local gun owners: A cheat sheet for burglars?Gun owners whose names and addresses were published on a 'gun map' in a New York newspaper are angry. But a county official suggests that the map shows burglars which homes to avoid.
'Fiscal cliff' no more? Americans vote to banish the term, at least.'Fiscal cliff,' 'spoiler alert,' and 'boneless wings' all made a list of overused terms and phrases that is compiled annually by Lake Superior State University.
Polls show movement toward stricter gun control – with major caveatsA new USA Today/Gallup poll taken shortly after the Sandy Hook massacre shows 58 percent of respondents saying they now favor stricter gun laws, up from 43 percent in October 2011.
Chicago registers its 500th homicide of 2012 – the highest number since 2008Public-housing and school policies, gang activity, access to guns, and budget cuts for social programs have all been cited as factors in Chicago’s homicide rate.
Peter Parker death (gasp!) roils Spider-Man fans. Why they're taking it hard.Peter Parker death in the current 'Amazing Spider-Man' issue caught readers and fans off guard – and will probably deliver a sales kick for publisher Marvel Comics.
Russia's proposed ban on US adoptions: What would it mean for orphans?Children's rights advocates say there's nothing wrong with efforts to reduce international adoption – if those efforts are focused on strengthening families and encouraging domestic adoption. Russia, however, has a long way to go to find domestic families for its orphans.
Gun owner map ricochet: Blogger publishes journalists' personal dataA newspaper published names and addresses of thousands of legal handgun owners, generating widespread criticism. In retaliation, a blogger mapped the names and addresses of the journalists.
Gun control: Is David Gregory’s on-air stunt proof of media bias?Washington police are investigating ‘Meet the Press’ host David Gregory for holding up a rifle clip on air. Gun control opponents see the incident as proof the media are biased against them.
Sharp criticism after New York newspaper publishes names of local gun ownersThe Journal News in White Plains, N.Y., used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain information on registered handgun owners in the area. Many owners and other critics are outraged that criminals now know where the guns are – and aren't.
Cover StoryWho's filling America's church pewsIn Puritan New England, Protestant and Catholic churches are declining while evangelical and Pentecostal groups are rising. Why the nation's most secular region may hint at the future of religion.
Video games and shooting: Is the NRA right?The NRA says the problem with mass shootings like the recent one at the Sandy Hook grade school in Connecticut is not too many unregulated guns but violent video games. But most academic and government research does not support the gun lobby's charge.
'Phonehenge West' creator jailed: When folk art and building codes collideThe builder of a fantastical fortress in the Mojave Desert has been sentenced to jail for failing to pay for the demolition of his life's work. Why art isn't sacred in the eyes of code enforcers.
Why American teens are turning from cigarettes to marijuanaA new survey shows that marijuana use among teens continues to rise – and outstrips cigarette use – thanks to the increasing perception that pot is not harmful.
'Zero Dark Thirty': Top 3 controversies from the Osama bin Laden film "Zero Dark Thirty," which tells the story of the hunt and capture of Osama bin Laden, is already garnering critical accolades – and plenty of criticism, too. Here are the top three controversies currently surrounding the film.
Pro-gun America quiet, contemplative in wake of Sandy Hook massacrePro-gun organizations and politicians have remained largely silent after Friday's Sandy Hook school massacre, for the moment at least ceding their dominant role in the gun control debate.
Chicago Muslims aim to reclaim meaning of 'jihad' from extremistsNew ad campaign on Chicago buses, launched Friday, aims to raise awareness of how most Muslims experience 'jihad' – as personal struggle, not 'holy war.'
How Ernest Hemingway's cats became a federal caseThe descendants of Ernest Hemingway's cats – dozens of them – freely roam the writer's former home, now a museum. In a controversial court case, a judge says the felines must be regulated under federal law.
Same-sex marriage: Waiting now for the Supreme Court to actAs reflected in polls and recent ballot measures, public opinion is moving in favor of same-sex marriage. Now that the US Supreme Court has agreed to take up the issue, both sides in the debate look for clear legal resolution.
Same-sex weddings in Washington State: Breakthrough for gay marriage?On Election Day, voters in Maine, Maryland, and Washington State approved same-sex marriage – the first time such unions had been approved by popular vote. Same-sex marriage licenses in Washington were issued for the first time Thursday.
With a puff of smoke, pot becomes legal in Washington: How will this work?Pot smokers lit up at Seattle's Space Needle to mark its legalization in Washington. Possessing marijuana, however, is still a federal crime, and it's not clear yet if, or how, federal laws will be enforced.
