Jan
21

Obama's inaugural speech gives hope to gay marriage supporters

WASHINGTON — By equating the gay rights struggle with those of African Americans and women, President Obama in his inaugural...
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A 'Courage Board' for All Conditions

Rating: 9/10 Nearly flawless; buy it now It’s easy to guess what The Hovercraft was built for just by looking at it: The short swallowtail and the big blunted nose all scream “powder hound.”I did my first series of tests in early December up in Lake Tahoe, and there was a lot more crust, ice and grooms than powder, so I took it out without expecting...
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Bank of Japan Expands Efforts to Prop Up Nation’s Economy

TOKYO (AP) — Bowing to government pressure, Japan’s central bank on Tuesday pledged more aggressive action to lift the economy, including setting a 2 percent inflation target. The Bank of Japan said it would conduct “open-ended” asset purchases to help achieve the goal of breaking out of a long spell of deflation. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had urged the central bank to ease monetary...
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“Django Unchained” producers order end to slavery action-figures

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The producers of Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” on Friday ordered a halt to the production of action figures based on the Oscar-nominated slavery movie after criticism that they were offensive to African-Americans.The eight-inch (20-cm) dolls, which were intended for people 17 and older, included gun-slinging freed slave Django, his wife and cruel, white plantation...
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The Week: A Roundup of This Week’s Science News

“Science,” a colleague once said at a meeting, “is a mighty enterprise, which is really rather quite topical.” He was so right: as we continue to enhance our coverage of the scientific world, we always aim to keep the latest news front and center. His observation seemed like a nice way to introduce this column, which will highlight the week’s developments in health and science news and glance...
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Jan
20

Clara Jane Nixon dies at 93; sister-in-law of President Nixon

Her famous brother-in-law had not yet been elected president. But he already had been vice president, as well as a U.S. senator...
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Wired Science Space Photo of the Day: Soap Bubble Nebula

Informally known as the "Soap Bubble Nebula", this planetary nebula (officially known as PN G75.5+1.7) was discovered by amateur astronomer Dave Jurasevich on July 6th, 2008. It was noted and reported by Keith Quattrocchi and Mel Helm on July 17th, 2008. This image was obtained with the Kitt Peak Mayall 4-meter telescope on June 19th, 2009 in the H-alpha (orange) and [OIII] (blue) narrowband filters....
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Media Decoder: News Outlets Take to Washington for Inauguration Coverage

If he squints hard enough, President Obama will be able to see CNN from his perch on the inaugural podium on Monday.The cable news channel has set up an elaborate studio on the National Mall — one of the four locations where its anchors will be leading coverage of Mr. Obama’s second inaugural celebration.“The goal is to put our anchors in the middle of all the activity,” said Sam Feist, CNN’s Washington...
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Manti Te’o to be interviewed by Katie Couric

NEW YORK (AP) — Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te‘o will be interviewed by Katie Couric, the first on-camera interview given by the All-American since news broke about the dead girlfriend hoax.Te’o and his parents will appear on Couric’s syndicated talk show Thursday. ABC News announced the interview Sunday, but gave no details as to when it will take place and where.Te’o gave an off-camera interview...
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Well: Holly the Cat's Incredible Journey

Nobody knows how it happened: an indoor housecat who got lost on a family excursion managing, after two months and about 200 miles, to return to her hometown.Even scientists are baffled by how Holly, a 4-year-old tortoiseshell who in early November became separated from Jacob and Bonnie Richter at an R.V. rally in Daytona Beach, Fla., appeared on New Year’s Eve — staggering, weak and emaciated — in...
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