Enlarge Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images President Obama answers questions at the White House on Aug. 20. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images President Obama answers questions at the White House on Aug. 20. To try to get a sense of what it really means to be the president of the United States, writer Michael Lewis spent six months in […]
Charles Dharapak/AP Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney campaigns at PR Machine Works in Mansfield, Ohio, on Monday. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s proposal to overhaul the tax code continues to draw scrutiny. Romney says it is possible to cut tax rates without driving the government deeper into the red, and that he can make up
Enlarge Silvia Vignolini et al. via PNAS The shiny blue berries of the tropical Pollia condensata plant rely on their looks, not nutritional content, to attract birds to spread their seeds. Silvia Vignolini et al. via PNAS The shiny blue berries of the tropical Pollia condensata plant rely on their looks, not nutritional content, to
There’s a new stimulus plan underway in America: $5.8 billion is being injected into the U.S. economy, particularly in states like Ohio, Virginia, Colorado and Florida. We’re talking of course about campaign spending, and this year’s elections will be the most expensive in history. In fact, by the time we all head to the voting
Enlarge J Pat Carter/AP Carri Jo Anderson joins the protest in front of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Pompano Beach, Fla., in August. As views on homosexuality change, more states are challenging the federal definition of marriage J Pat Carter/AP Carri Jo Anderson joins the protest in front of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Pompano Beach, Fla.,
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Chicago Union President Karen Lewis has said that “No union members will be inside schools Monday,” after contract negotiations failed to reach a deal that would prevent a labor strike. Lewis said those union teachers will on the picket line. As Becky Vevea reported for Weekend Edition Sunday, 25,000
Enlarge Lynne Sladky/AP Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants you … if you’re a wealthy Democrat who can write a $10 million or $20 million check. Lynne Sladky/AP Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants you … if you’re a wealthy Democrat who can write a $10 million or $20 million check. Now that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
Enlarge Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images Detroit Lions place-kicker Jason Hanson attempts a field goal in a preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. Hanson, 42, has played 21 consecutive seasons for the Lions. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images Detroit Lions place-kicker Jason Hanson attempts a field goal in a preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. Hanson, 42,
Enlarge Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP America’s state chefs might be called on to prepare state dinners, travel abroad or host culinary experts from around the world. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP America’s state chefs might be called on to prepare state dinners, travel abroad or host culinary experts from around the world. The State Department is deploying a
The highest speed limit in America will be officially unveiled in November, when drivers on one portion of a Texas highway will be allowed to reach 85 mph without keeping an eye out for police cars and radar detectors. As Transportation Nation reports, the new speed limit allows drivers to “legally drive faster than hurricane
Just about everybody who’s ever needed health care in this country has seen firsthand the problems that make our system inefficient, costly and often downright unsatisfying. The nonpartisan Institute of Medicine just put out a 450-page report about the problems along with some ideas for improvements. How bad are things? Well, nearly a third of
Enlarge Gretchen Cuda Kroen/NPR Question: Which one of these glasses holds the biggest drink? Answer: None. Each of them contains 4 oz. of iced tea. Gretchen Cuda Kroen/NPR Question: Which one of these glasses holds the biggest drink? Answer: None. Each of them contains 4 oz. of iced tea. Downed a few too many drinks