All Society
'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.
Why did America change its mind about legal marijuana?A new poll says that 51 percent of Americans support legal marijuana for recreational use. This comes a month after two states became the first to do just that.
Top 10 most looked-up words of 2012? Lots of political malarkey.Merriam-Webster released its list of the 10 most looked-up words in its online dictionary. Socialism and capitalism came joint first on a list heavily influenced by Election 2012.
- Why Sam Adams' church is selling a bit of its history to pay for its future
The historic Old South Church in Boston, to which Sam Adams belonged, plans to sell a 1640 hymn book and Colonial Era silver to fund building repairs and expand its ministry.
Facebook Powerball frenzy: Purported winner offers to 'share' $1 millionThe second winner of the $588 million PowerBall lottery is not yet known publicly. But one man says he's the winner and will give someone who shares his Facebook photo $1 million. Is it a hoax?
For Amish, fastest-growing faith group in US, life is changingAs the Amish population in the US grows – forecast to hit 1 million by 2050 – the decline of farmland is forcing the community to spread to new areas and to evolve its agrarian culture.
Progress WatchGender pay gap is eroding, especially among younger women, US data showWomen are slowly making inroads in the gender pay gap. Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data for full-time workers show women earn 82 percent as much as men, up from 64 percent in 1980.
After Cyber Monday frenzy, Giving Tuesday taps the quiet impulse to giveGiving Tuesday, launched by New York's 92nd Street Y, the United Nations Foundation, and 2,000 corporate and nonprofit partners, aims to make giving as fixed a holiday feature as shopping.
Black Friday walkout: why Wal-Mart is focus of labor's struggleWal-Mart's low-cost recipe for success is under attack from the threatened Black Friday walkout as workers protest low wages and benefit cuts. The retailer is fighting back, accusing organized labor of making trouble.
Is the death of newspapers the end of good citizenship?The death of newspapers – by cutbacks, outright disappearance, or morphing into lean websites – means a reduction of watchdog reporting and less local information. Some say it has caused a drop in civic participation. Is it a blow to good citizenship?
A news future in feisty upstarts?A quintet of local news organizations trying to gain a digital foothold.
- Chicago: Homicides already pass mark for 2011, defying trend in other US cities
While the murder rate in Chicago is half of what it was decades ago, it is rising even as homicides in other major US cities like New York and Los Angeles are falling.
