‘Chained CPI’ Seen As Tactic To Trim Deficit

The “Gang of Six” bipartisan proposal to end the ongoing debate over raising the federal debt ceiling would include a $500 billion “down payment” on deficit reduction. A big chunk of that would come from changing the way the government measures inflation. One of the advocates for the switch is Marc Goldwein, who was a [...]

New Consumer Protection Agency Faces Opposition

There’s a new cop on the money beat: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and it opens its doors Thursday. It was created by the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul, signed by the president one year ago. The bureau will look out for the financial best interests of American consumers. And while it’s popular with the public, it [...]

Genome Maps May Spot Disease In African Americans

Two independent teams of researchers have come up with the most accurate genetic maps ever made — a feat that should make the search for genes associated with diseases easier. To understand why an accurate genetic map is useful, imagine you are trying to locate a house in Topeka, Kan., but the only map you [...]

Shuttle Memorabilia: Completing The Collection

The final launch of Atlantis and the end of the space shuttle program have created an increased interest in space memorabilia, especially for artifacts from the shuttle era. No one knows this better than Robert Pearlman, the founder of the website collectSPACE.com, which is considered the online source for space history and artifacts. “Collectors like [...]

At Border, Teacher Becomes Unwitting Drug Smuggler

For Ana Isela Martinez Amaya, May 26 began like any other school morning. Martinez got up at 5:45 a.m. and got her 6-year-old daughter ready for school. At 6:30, the two of them left their house in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in a tan 2003 Ford Focus. They headed toward the Stanton Street Bridge crossing into [...]

Debt Drama Could Be Another Blow To Housing

Members of Congress appear closer to reaching a deal in the ongoing drama over raising the nation’s debt ceiling. The economic stakes are high, and top investors and executives at major companies have been putting increasing pressure on lawmakers to strike a deal. Take the housing market for example: Industry insiders there worry that if [...]

Obama Could Agree To Brief Debt-Ceiling Extension With Conditions

In recent weeks, White House aides have left the very strong impression that President Obama wouldn’t approve any short-term extension of the debt ceiling just for the sake of avoiding default on Aug 2 or shortly thereafter. The aim of that warning seemed to be the president’s intention to avoid prolonging the debt-ceiling debate any [...]

FBI Tries To Send Message With Hacker Arrests

The 14 people arrested Tuesday in a crackdown on the Anonymous hacking group are not suspected of having links to criminal gangs, terrorist networks or foreign governments. They are alleged only to have participated in attacks on PayPal’s website, after that company cut off payments to WikiLeaks. But the FBI was determined to go after [...]

Restaurants Often Miss The Mark On Calorie Counts

Shots has often wondered if restaurant menus are, in fact, accurate when it comes to calories. Could that pasta with scallops and shrimp really only be 650 calories? Is a slice of veggie pizza just 208 calories? And is the grilled salmon bowl with brown rice a more healthful choice? Researchers at Tufts University in [...]

Rebels In Western Libya Train For Move On Tripoli

Rebel commanders in the western mountains of Libya say they are supplying anti-government forces in Tripoli with weapons in advance of a march on the capital. Claims like this have been made before, and there are still few signs that the rebels can take Moammar Gadhafi’s stronghold city. Still, interviews with Tripoli residents who have [...]