July is deadliest month for U.S. in Afghan war
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:09:34 GMT

Six U.S. service members were killed in Afghanistan, bringing the toll for July to at least 66 and making it the deadliest month for American forces in the nearly 9-year-war.

Kabul rioters burn SUVs, yell 'Death to America'
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:54:52 GMT

Afghan police fired shots on Friday to disperse hundreds of people protesting the deaths of civilians in an accident reportedly involving a U.S. Embassy vehicle, officials said.

Taliban hinder NATO push to build government
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:27:25 GMT

This strategic valley on the outskirts of Kandahar is on its third government boss in eight months. The first quit out of fear and frustration. The Taliban assassinated the second.

Greece turns to military to restore fuel supplies
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:13:43 GMT

Greece said Friday it will use military trucks, navy vessels and commandeered fuel tankers to restore gasoline supplies cut by a strike that has hurt the country's industry and vital tourism trade at the height of vacation season.

Poisoning scare hits U.S. Embassy in Paris
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:02:53 GMT

Two employees of the U.S. Embassy in Paris were being given medical tests Friday after handling a suspicious package and reporting feeling "unwell," officials said.

25 dead as forest fires rage across Russia
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:22:23 GMT

Forest fires raged across Russia on Friday, destroying villages, surrounding one southern city and killing at least 25 people, including three firefighters. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin consoled survivors at one smoldering village and urged officials to redouble their efforts against the blazes.

Troops kill senior 'capo' of mighty Mexico cartel
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:15:08 GMT

Soldiers have killed a top leader of the Sinaloa cartel, dealing the biggest blow yet to Mexico's most powerful drug gang since  a military offensive against organized crime began in 2006.

Iran: West taints cigarettes with pig blood
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:26:55 GMT

Cigarettes smuggled into Iran have been tainted with pig blood and nuclear material as part of a Western conspiracy, an Iranian official claimed Friday.

US Consulate in Ciudad Juarez closes for security
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:52:15 GMT

The U.S. closed its consulate in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez on Thursday pending a security review, an unexpected decision that comes months after drug gangs killed three people tied to the consulate.

Swedish ex-police chief convicted of sex crimes
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:19:20 GMT

A former Swedish police chief known for his lectures on gender equality and sexual harassment was convicted on Friday of rape and other sex crimes and sent to prison.

Bangladesh garment workers riot over new wages
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:06:45 GMT

Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers took to the streets, burning cars and blocking traffic, police said, in a protest against the minimum wage rate, police said.

430 killed in Pakistan's deadliest flood
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:38:33 GMT

Bad weather has hindered rescue efforts in Pakistan, where flooding has claimed at least 430 lives.  The death toll has surpassed that of a 1929 deluge, which killed 408.

Gates: Leak probe may go beyond military
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:24:22 GMT

A criminal probe into the leak of secret Afghanistan war logs could go beyond the military, Pentagon officials said.

5 soldiers killed in land mine attack in India
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:41:49 GMT

Separatist rebels triggered a land mine Friday that killed at least five paramilitary soldiers and wounded 41 others in India's remote northeastern state of Assam, where a deadly separatist insurgency has long raged.

My first and last bullfights: Artistry, courage, slaughter
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:33:27 GMT

Are Democrats closing the gap?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:26:53 GMT

First Read: Largely lost in all the recent focus on the BP spill, Shirley Sherrod, the Arizona immigration law, Charlie Rangel, and the Wikileaks leak is this bit of news: Democrats - perhaps ever so slightly - are beginning to close the midterm gap.

Panel recommended reprimand for Rangel
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:04:49 GMT

A House investigator says the panel handling Rep. Charlie Rangel's ethics case has recommended a reprimand by the full House — but that decision could be months away.

Obama selling auto bailout good news
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:20:35 GMT

President Barack Obama on Friday heralded the recent turnaround for U.S. automakers, arguing that thousands of jobs and increased production vindicate his unpopular decision to bailout the industry.

Video: Infuriated lawmaker unleashes on House floor
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:33:34 GMT

New York Rep. Anthony Weiner rails against his Republican colleagues during debate over a bill that would have provided health care to ground zero first responders who became sick. (Other)

Crist holds small lead in Fla. US Senate contest
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:02:56 GMT

Gov. Charlie Crist is slightly ahead of Republican Marco Rubio in a three-way general election matchup for the U.S. Senate while the race to succeed Crist as governor is about even, a poll released Friday suggests.

Arizona appealed. Now what?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:05:43 GMT

From NBC's Pete Williams: What comes next in the immigration law debate.

Recovery lost speed in the second quarter
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:32:20 GMT

The recovery lost momentum in the spring as growth slowed to a 2.4 percent pace, its most sluggish showing in nearly a year and too weak to drive down unemployment.

Democrats catch break with trial's early end
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:49:54 GMT

The early end to  the Illinois governor's corruption trial is a far more benign result for Democrats than if it had lasted through the summer as expected while the party geared up for tough elections.

An immigration impasse long in the making
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:27:12 GMT

The Arizona law is the culmination of years of inaction by Washington to deal with the issue of illegal immigration. 

Dems, GOP warily eye Arizona immigration ruling
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:22:36 GMT

Neither political party is sure how this week's Arizona immigration ruling will play out politically, either this fall or beyond.

Ethics panel outlines 13 charges against Rangel
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:34:28 GMT

House investigators accused veteran New York Rep. Charles Rangel of 13 violations of congressional ethics standards on Thursday.

Newsweek: Obama charms on 'The View'
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:22:27 GMT

Obama certainly wooed the ladies, and the audience at home. That said, it wasn’t all fluff. Obama delved into policy, dropping some statistics about job losses to make the case that the economy is actually in a better place than it could have been had done nothing when taking office.

Congress OKs bill to make commuter airline safer
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:36:46 GMT

Congress on Friday approved far-reaching aviation safety legislation that was developed in response to a deadly commuter airline crash in western New York last year.

NY reps. spar in House over 9/11 responder bill
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:26:08 GMT

The House's rejection of bill that would have provided up to $7.4 billion in aid to people sickened by World Trade Center dust has opened a sharp rift between two New York congressmen, Republican Peter King and Democrat Anthony Weiner.

Ex-USDA official to sue blogger over video
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:15:59 GMT

Ousted USDA employee Shirley Sherrod said Thursday that she will sue a conservative blogger who posted an edited video that appeared to show her making racially offensive remarks.

Republicans block small business lending bill
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:49:41 GMT

Senate Republicans have blocked a bill to increase small business lending, dealing a setback to President Barack Obama's jobs agenda.

Newsweek: The rise, fall of Charles Rangel
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:37:26 GMT

The storied life and career of Charles B. Rangel are at a sad impasse, but how could a man in charge of writing tax policy not pay his taxes? What was he thinking? Did he expect his colleagues in the House to cut him slack because of his seniority?

Obama takes on critics of education plan
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:28:05 GMT

Challenging civil rights agencies and teacher's unions that have criticized his education policies, Obama said that minority students have the most to gain from overhauling schools.

First Read: Poll: Health care law getting more popular
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:20:21 GMT

The Obama White House keeps talking about the economy and health care -- because even if they're unpopular in the short run, they're hoping attitudes change in the long run.

Jurors in Blagojevich case enjoy anonymity
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:45:32 GMT

No e-mail messages from "the King of Japan," no fake letters from President Barack Obama postmarked in Iowa, no expletive-laden voicemail messages on their phones, like the ones that Judge James B. Zagel has received. No chance of Facebook postings using their names, either.

Biden: US doing 'significant damage' to al-Qaida
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:45:22 GMT

First thoughts: More controversy, challenges, and distractions
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:10:45 GMT

More controversy, challenges, and distractions for the White House… The judicial ruling on Arizona’s immigration law was a legal -- but not political -- victory for Team Obama.

Poll: Wealthy newcomers lead in Fla. primary races
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:53:56 GMT

Two wealthy newcomers to Florida politics who are self-financing their campaigns have taken double-digit leads in the state's Republican gubernatorial and Democratic Senate primary races, according to a poll released Thursday.

Obama, overexposed?
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:24:31 GMT

While folks inside the Beltway may believe that the president is overexposed, ask the working parent of two if they think the same thing.

In R.I., running for a 'waste' of a job
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:05:46 GMT

Robert Healey Jr. is running for Rhode Island lieutenant governor — not to excel in the position, but to eliminate it altogether.

New immigration law goes into force in Ariz.
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:26:29 GMT

Parts of Arizona's controversial immigration law went into effect Thursday, after a judge blocked the heart of the measure, defusing a confrontation between police and activists.

Obama makes case for business aid at sub shop
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:03:42 GMT

President Barack Obama is making his case for more small-business aid from a sub shop in central New Jersey.

Key Republican calls Kagan a 'dangerous' nominee
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:03:58 GMT

Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan picked up more GOP backing Wednesday in her drive toward near-certain confirmation next week, even as a top Republican lashed out at her as "dangerous."

8 states could end up electing their 1st female governor
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:58:58 GMT

Per Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics, eight states this year could elect a woman as governor for the first time.

Congress narrows gap in cocaine sentences
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:24:27 GMT

Congress on Wednesday changed a quarter-century-old law that has subjected tens of thousands of blacks to long prison terms for crack cocaine convictions while giving far more lenient treatment to those, mainly whites, caught with the powder form of the drug.

N.Y. Gov. Paterson won't face criminal charges
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:58:14 GMT

New York Gov. David Paterson will not face criminal charges for calling a woman who later dropped domestic violence charges against a top aide to the governor, according to a person with direct knowledge of the investigation.

Women top GOP, Dem tickets in Okla.
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:47:26 GMT

Dems election strategy: Equate GOP and tea party
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:59:03 GMT

The Democrats' national chairman on Wednesday trotted out his party's fall election strategy to limit potential GOP gains, claiming Republican goals are inseparable from the tea party's, from killing off Medicare to abolishing the departments of Education and Energy.

Colorado commotion could dim GOP hopes
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:28:28 GMT

If Republicans wake up on November 3rd to find their majority-making hopes dashed, they may be looking at a state like Colorado for evidence of opportunities missed.

House Democrats line up TV ad buys for fall races
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:02:05 GMT

Democrats say they are prepared to spend $49 million on TV ads during the final weeks of the midterm elections in their effort to maintain a House majority.

Rangel, committee in last-minute bargaining
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:03:27 GMT

Former committee chairman Rep. Charles Rangel attempted a last-minute plea deal Tuesday to head off a House ethics trial that could embarrass him and damage Democrats facing potentially severe election losses.

Senate GOP blocks campaign disclosure bill
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:13:57 GMT

Republicans blocked a White House-backed bill Tuesday to require unprecedented disclosure of who pays for political campaign advertising.

House Democrats line up TV ad buys for fall races
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:28:46 GMT

Democrats say they are prepared to spend $49 million on TV ads during the final weeks of the midterm elections in their effort to maintain a House majority in the face of a strong challenge by Republicans and an anti-establishment bent among voters.

House passes pared-down measure to fund war
Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:29:06 GMT

Months behind schedule and stripped of money for domestic stimulus programs, legislation to fund the troop surge in Afghanistan was sent to President Barack Obama on Tuesday after disgruntled Democrats failed to block it.

Olbermann: GOP self-destruction imminent
Tue, 23 Mar 2010 01:11:30 GMT

In a Special Comment, Countdown’s Keith Olbermann advises Republicans that clinging to obsolete ideas and resorting to extremist rhetoric will only undermine the party's relevance and America will move on without them.

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An American cry for help
Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:31:39 GMT

In a Special Comment, Countdown’s Keith Olbermann shares his personal experience with a real life 'death panel' situation and scorns the unfairness of health insurance in America.

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Olbermann: Beware fear's racist temptation
Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:23:51 GMT

In a Special Comment, Keith Olbermann explores the relationship between fear and racism and encourages Americans who are distressed about the nation's future to avoid political groups that appeal to their less noble inclinations.

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Olbermann: U.S. government for sale
Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:29:28 GMT

In a Special Comment, Countdown’s Keith Olbermann envisions a future United States in which today's Supreme Court ruling permitting unbridled corporate campaign spending purchase all the power greed can afford.

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Olbermann: Ruined Senate bill unsupportable
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:16:50 GMT

In a Special Comment, Countdown’s Keith Olbermann stresses that he does not support the current “perversion of health care reform,” urging Senate Democrats to drop the bill.

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Olbermann on Afghanistan: Get out now
Tue, 1 Dec 2009 02:13:49 GMT

In a Special Comment, Countdown’s Keith Olbermann argues that in the face political and financial opportunism, not to mention outright lies about the war in Afghanistan, and the stark historical warning represented by Vietnam, President Obama should make the change he promised during his campaign and pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.

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Health care reform: Saving American lives
Thu, 8 Oct 2009 01:26:01 GMT

In a Special Comment Hour, Countdown’s Keith Olbermann explains how the American health care system is broken and why it’s so important that the government steps in to fix it.

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Reports: Kara DioGuardi also gone from 'Idol'
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:13:25 GMT

Deadline Hollywood and TMZ reported Thursday that DioGuardi, 39, was given the ax — the same day Ellen DeGeneres announced she is leaving the show after just one season

Ellen simply failed as an 'American Idol' judge
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:17:49 GMT

When she was picked to be Paula Abdul’s replacement, it seemed like an inspired choice. But it didn’t work out quite as planned, and her decision to quit is the best resolution for everyone.

Who'll be deemed fit to judge 'American Idol'?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:46:48 GMT

Don't call it "American Idol." Call it "Extreme Makeover: 'Idol' Edition." The composition of the  judges' panel seems to be changing by the minute, in flux like a lunch counter during the noon rush.

Vote: Who would make a good 'Idol' judge?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:58:24 GMT

Jennifer Lopez reportedly close to joining 'Idol'
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:36:43 GMT

Lopez is close to signing a deal to join Fox TV's hit singing contest as a judge, a person familiar with the negotiations said late Thursday.

Ellen DeGeneres quits as 'Idol' judge
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:03:52 GMT

The comedian is dancing off "American Idol" after one season, leaving Fox's hit show with two vacancies on its judging panel.

Newsweek: The end of 'Idol'?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:24:08 GMT

After 10 long years of big-footing its way through pop culture, it looks like "American Idol" has sung its last note as the country's No. 1 TV show, music ("music"?) source, Broadway feeder school, and all-around entertainment distraction.

Michael Jackson album to feature 10 new songs
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:53:17 GMT

At the time of his death Jackson reportedly left hard drives filled with unheard music, much of it recorded during the King of Pop's '80s peak.

'Runway' hopefuls get to work before unpacking
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:39:36 GMT

I get the sense the show is trying to shake things up what with the crazy opening challenge and the extra half hour, which so far seems like a good idea.

Bullock wants out of Gulf restoration video
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:14:37 GMT

A spokeswoman for Sandra Bullock says the actress wants her parts of a video promoting Gulf Coast restoration removed until she learns whether oil companies influenced it.

Underwood: Married life ‘a lot like dating life’
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:26:45 GMT

The chart-topping country star said that she and her new husband, hockey player Mike Fisher, are too busy to see each other much, but “understand each other’s lives." She also weighed in on the current shakeup in “American Idol” judges.

Disney to sell Miramax for over $660 million
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:08:49 GMT

Walt Disney Co. has agreed to sell Miramax, the studio behind such films as "Trainspotting" and "No Country for Old Men," for more than $660 million to Filmyard Holdings LLC.

Scoop: Obama on 'View' stirs up Snookigate
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:03:08 GMT

While many were relieved that he was blissfully unaware of one of “Jersey Shore’s” resident rabble-rousers, he has at least heard of her because he name-dropped her in a speech last spring.

More 'Runway' doesn't mean a better 'Runway'
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:27:14 GMT

Despite the fact that show mentor Tim Gunn routinely reminds contestants to never overdesign, “Runway” itself plans to ignore that bit of conventional wisdom when it returns Thursday night.

Lohan hopes to postpone rehab after jail
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:29:34 GMT

The actress' lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, told People on Tuesday that Lohan wants her to let the judge know the actress doesn't want to go to rehab immediately and wants to see her family first.

Michael C. Hall spills 'Dexter's' secrets
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:28:25 GMT

Exactly how is Julie Benz returning this season on "Dexter"? Is she a ghost à la Harry? And what's with all the guest stars? The actor and his wife and co-star help reveal some answers.

'Dinner for Schmucks' doesn't have much bite
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:42:44 GMT

Steve Carell infuses his hapless character with humor and humanity, but this remake seems more interested in easy, broad slapstick.

Slideshow: Slideshow: The week in celebrity sightings
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:32:14 GMT

Jessica Biel and Quinto Jackson promote "The A-Team" in Germany, Carrie Underwood performs on TODAY, Mark Wahlberg gets his star and more.

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Another ugly reminder to check your Facebook settings — NOW!
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:59:41 GMT

If we take any lesson from this latest Facebook privacy brouhaha, it's one we should have already learned: Facebook isn't for people who don't wish to be known. Because here's the deal: Facebook has not now, nor will it ever, protect your information.

Mars rover finally sees Martian dust devil
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:08:24 GMT

After more than six years roaming the surface of Mars, NASA's Mars rover Opportunity has spotted its first dust devil on the red planet.

Attacking the edges of secure Internet traffic
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:32:31 GMT

Researchers have uncovered new ways that criminals can spy on Internet users even if they're using secure connections to banks, online retailers or other sensitive Web sites.

Cell phone shipments up 14.5 percent worldwide
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:32:14 GMT

The number of cell phones shipped worldwide rose 14.5 percent in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, with much of the growth coming from smaller challengers like the iPhone and BlackBerry, according to research firm IDC.

Virtual cookie monster controls flavor
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:25:51 GMT

At the SIGGRAPH computer animation and interactive technology conference, a research team unveiled a Meta Cookie system, which uses virtual reality to try to control the flavor of a cookie.

Rare find: Failed star circling sun-like star
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:43:21 GMT

A rare sun-like star that is both young and relatively close to Earth has been found to be harboring an even weirder object a failed star locked in a close orbit around its host, according to a new study.

Internet 'key holders' are insurance against cyber attack
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:46:10 GMT

In a move that seems inspired by "The Lord of the Rings," seven "keys" have been handed out to a trusted circle of people who might get called upon to "save" the Internet in the aftermath of a cyber attack.

Google: China blockage report likely just a glitch
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:47:45 GMT

Google says its search engine and several other services are working normally in mainland China after previously reporting the service had been completely blocked.

100 million Facebook users' details published online
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:59:38 GMT

The personal details of 100 million Facebook users have been collected and published online in a downloadable file, meaning they will no longer be able to make the information private.

BlackBerry may be berry good with new OS
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:08:18 GMT

A new BlackBerry, but more importantly, a new BlackBerry operating system upgrade, is coming. "Yawn," you say? Don't be too quick to dismiss Research In Motion and its sturdy line of smart phones.

Ballmer: Tablet coming 'as soon as we can'
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:02:12 GMT

Microsoft will compete with Apple's iPad, but it isn't saying when, according to comments made Thursday by company CEO Steve Ballmer.

Amazon unveils new Kindle, starting at $139
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:33:18 GMT

Just weeks after lowering the price of the Kindle e-book reader from $259 to $189, Amazon unveiled a fully revamped Kindle on Wednesday. It's sleeker, better looking, easier on the eyes — and starts at $139.

Donkey's wild ass ancestor confirmed
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:17:20 GMT

Five thousand years ago, in North Africa, humans formed an alliance with the wild ancestors of the donkey, twice.

Snake robots could disable explosives
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:28:01 GMT

Snakes can creep and they can crawl, but they're not very good at defusing bombs or going on search-and-rescue missions. Snake robots, however, might be a different story.

We're through — now get off my Facebook page
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:21:17 GMT

Lovers still see a face-to-face encounter as the ideal way to break up their relationship in the complicated age of Facebook and cell phones, according to a researcher's interviews with college students and middle-age adults.

Adult industry sees iPorn potential in iPhone 4
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:04:03 GMT

When Apple launched the iPhone 4 and its FaceTime videoconference feature, it didn't take long for adult-entertainment companies to develop video-sex chat services and start hiring workers through Craigslist.

Tales for your summer science odysseys
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:11:47 GMT

Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Books about scientific subjects let you travel through space and time … which is the perfect prescription for summer reading.

Slideshow: How zoos beat the heat
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:18:57 GMT

Zookeepers give animals some tasty ways to cool off.

Caterers dish up more cases of food poisoning
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:16:52 GMT

New figures from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that illnesses from reported outbreaks of food poisoning linked to catering outpace those from restaurants or home cooking.

Women's hormone cream can screw up your kids, pets
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:22:16 GMT

The hug of a middle-aged woman might affect nearby kids and pets in alarming ways -- and it has nothing to do with menopause mood swings.

No help for unemployed buying COBRA coverage?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:22:43 GMT

Dose of reality: A provision in federal law called COBRA allows certain people who lose their jobs to keep their employer-provided health insurance coverage, if they pay for it.

Daydreams really can take you far away
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:07:38 GMT

Just how distracting daydreams can be depends on where exactly your wandering mind takes you, a new study suggests.

Doctors: Transplant advance in windpipe cancer
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:36:46 GMT

Doctors have successfully transplanted windpipes into two cancer patients in an innovative procedure that uses stem cells to allow a donated trachea to regenerate tissue and create an organ biologically close to the original, they said Friday.

Video: Tanning addiction a growing problem
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:28:11 GMT

Dermatologists warn of the dangers of addiction to tanning beds, reflector blankets and roasting in the sun. WNBC's Tom Llamas reports. (NBC News Channel)

4 vets positive for hepatitis after St. Louis clinic visit
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:11:56 GMT

Four veterans treated at the St. Louis VA Medical Center's dental clinic have tested positive for hepatitis, but further testing is needed to determine if inadequately sterilized dental equipment is to blame.

Army's suicide rate tied to rise in risky behaviors
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:20:59 GMT

An Army report on the record number of soldier suicides says the trend is part of a rise in risky behavior, including drunk driving and drug abuse.

9 natural cures you can trust
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:33:00 GMT

Cocoa for high blood pressure? Massage for depression? That's right. Doctors say these and other alternative remedies really work to help heal our everyday ailments.

Lisps come and lisps go — like Sally Draper's
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:42:21 GMT

Besides notable absences including guys like Sal, Ken and Paul, Sunday’s season premiere of “Mad Men” was missing one more beloved character: Sally Draper’s lisp.

Protein in urine can forecast kidney disease
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:13:52 GMT

Doctors may be able to watch for kidney injury and protect patients by looking for protein in urine, researchers reported on Thursday.

Study: Gestational diabetes likely to recur
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:18:33 GMT

Pregnant women with a history of pregnancy-related diabetes, also called gestational diabetes, have a good chance of developing the condition again, suggests a large new study.

Can a vasectomy kill a guy's sex drive?
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:44:32 GMT

Can a vasectomy  dim a guy's enjoyment of sex? Also, how does a young woman in a rural area without any resources find a safe way to come out and enter the "lesbian scene"?

Obese patients shown to lose weight on Orexigen
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:14:29 GMT

Overweight volunteers who took Orexigen's experimental drug Contrave, designed to reduce cravings, lost about 13 pounds (6 kg) over a year, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

Prostate cancer 'cell of origin' identified
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:09:35 GMT

For researchers, a key to studying any cancer is finding its "cell of origin." Now scientists at the University of California at Los Angeles say they've found just that -- a specific type of cell that gives rise to prostate cancer.

Synthetic, legal pot sending smokers to ER
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:09:20 GMT

An herb and chemical blend dubbed K2 that is sold legally in the U.S. as incense but produces a marijuana-like high when smoked is landing a rising number of people in emergency rooms, doctors said.

Secondhand smoke may be hurting kids' grades
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:15:56 GMT

Children and teenagers exposed to secondhand smoke at home may get poorer grades than their peers from smoke-free homes, a study of Hong Kong students suggests.

FDA warns of pneumonia risk with IV antibiotic
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:51:00 GMT

U.S. health officials warned Thursday about the risk of pneumonia with Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc's flagship antibiotic.

Video: Go with your gut: Bacteria the key to weight loss?
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:02:25 GMT

The key to losing weight could lie within the bacteria in your digestive system. KXAS' Meredith Land reports. (NBC News Channel)

Video: Healthy mouth, healthy body?
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:24:19 GMT

NBC’s chief medical editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman highlights the importance of oral health and answers viewers’ questions. (Today Show)

Hands-only CPR enough to save a life, studies say
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:42:38 GMT

More bystanders are willing to attempt CPR if an emergency dispatcher gives them firm and direct instructions — especially if they can just press on the chest and skip the mouth-to-mouth, according to new research.

Video: Robots for the aging
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:36:50 GMT

Tokyo's Robot Expo shows off new robots that focus on helping elderly people who are disabled or suffering from dementia. TODAYshow.com's Dara Brown reports. (Other)

Whooping cough outbreaks raise health fears
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:51:16 GMT

Growing outbreaks of whooping cough — including a California epidemic that has killed six babies — are worrying public health officials who fear that sporadic vaccination practices may be contributing to dangerous cases of the preventable disease.

Defensiveness good for men — but not women
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:35:32 GMT

Differences in how men and women handle conflict means defensiveness isn't always bad.

Rabbits grow their own joint replacements
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:10:59 GMT

Rabbits implanted with artificial bones re-grew their own joints, complete with cartilage, researchers reported on Thursday.

Her baby teeth are finally gone — at age 28?
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:34:22 GMT

Most adults have long forgotten the day their last baby tooth came out, but for Emily Cheeseman of England, it was like yesterday.

Opinion: 10 NFL players who’ll make big impacts in ’10
Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:43:33 GMT

Sporting News: Falcons officials say the addition of Dunta Robinson, a physical cornerback who played his first six NFL seasons in Houston, will help them rebound in '10. A look at nine other players who should make big impacts on their new teams in '10.

Haynesworth fails test again, misses practice
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:52:36 GMT

Albert Haynesworth has failed his conditioning test for a second consecutive day and is being forced to sit out practice again at Washington Redskins training camp.

ESPN.com removes article on James in Las Vegas
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:13:12 GMT

ESPN.com removed an article chronicling Lebron James' activities during a weekend in Las Vegas.

Ravens CB Foxworth out for year with knee injury
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:33:38 GMT

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth will miss the season with a knee injury.

N.J. man gets jail for vomit-assault at game
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:41:25 GMT

A 21-year-old New Jersey man has been sentenced to up to three months in jail for intentionally vomiting on another spectator and his 11-year-old daughter in the stands at a Philadelphia Phillies game.

Brady says contract talks wont' be distraction
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:54:15 GMT

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says he's determined to keep his contract negotiations from becoming a distraction to the team.

T.O. finally arrives at Bengals’ camp, practices
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:53:59 GMT

Terrell Owens arrived fashionably late, still got several rounds of applause, and his favorite number was waiting, too. The Cincinnati Bengals' newest receiver missed an overnight flight that would have brought him to town early Thursday, allowing for a proper introduction. Instead, he got a later flight, rolled in less than an hour before an evening practice and decided to suit up.

McNabb, L.T. lead offseason of change for stars
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:19:44 GMT

Call it training camp with a twist: plenty of old faces in new places this summer, all looking for fresh starts.

Oswalt approves deal, Astros trade ace to Phillies
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:58:13 GMT

There's a new Roy in town — and he's an ace, too.

With a 3rd heart, Compton shares Greenbrier lead
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:26:34 GMT

Erik Compton is a walking billboard for organ donation and sheer determination. He's also at the top of the Greenbrier Classic leaderboard. The 30-year-old double heart transplant recipient shot a 7-under 63 to share the first-round lead with rookie Matt Every in the inaugural tournament.

NBCSports.com's Preseason Top 25
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:46:44 GMT

Crimson Tide will be up to the task and repeat as national champions.

Cops investigating Wright’s death as homicide
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:08:40 GMT

Former NBA player Lorenzen Wright, whose body was found in the woods outside Memphis, was shot to death and the case is being investigated as a homicide, police said Thursday.

Aide: Pitino never mentioned seeking abortion
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:51:12 GMT

A longtime aide to Rick Pitino told jurors the Louisville men's basketball coach asked him to take a woman out of town for medical services after she said the coach got her pregnant in a one-night tryst at a restaurant.

Vikings arrive at camp without Favre
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:43:12 GMT

If Brett Favre returns to Minnesota for a 20th NFL season, it almost certainly won't be before the Vikings' 12-day stay in this college town comes to an end.

Vaughan takes early lead at U.S. Senior Open
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:01:18 GMT

Bruce Vaughan took advantage of cool morning conditions with an opening-round 66 to take a two-shot lead in the first round of the U.S. Senior Open on Thursday.

Commissioner: No suspension for Young over fight
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:28:10 GMT

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday he has decided not to suspend Titans quarterback Vince Young over a tussle at a Dallas strip club in June.

Bolt thinks 9.4 in the 100 is possible
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:04:46 GMT

DENVER (AP) -Usain Bolt says that his biggest goal at the London Olympics in two years' time will be simply to win the 100 meters gold medal again, even though he believes the distance can be run in a record breaking 9.4-second range.

NCAA adds to Arizona's self-imposed sanctions
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:15:39 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) -The NCAA added to self-imposed sanctions by Arizona's men's basketball program on Thursday, vacating 19 wins from the 2007-08 season and removing an additional scholarship for violations involving Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson.

Niemi decision expected by Saturday
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:11:46 GMT

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman expects to learn on Saturday whether his salary cap-squeezed team will be able to keep restricted free agent goaltender Antti Niemi, who backstopped Chicago to its first Stanley Cup in 49 years last spring.

NFL training camp previews: 3 things to know
Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:36:56 GMT

Special feature: Gregg Rosenthal and Evan Silva detail the key moves and roster spot battles, as all 32 NFL teams enter training camp.

Silva: Plenty of fodder in NFL’s worst offseason moves
Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:24:37 GMT

Silva: Whether it's from the NFL draft or a free-agent signing, every team likes to spin their offseason moves as something that'll help the team. That's hardly the case. We've targeted the 10 worst moves of the offseason.

Wesseling: 10 NFL rookies who’ll shine, and 10 who’ll stink
Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:22:36 GMT

Wesseling: The 2010 NFL season is fast approaching and we're wondering how this year's rookie crop will fare. Have a look at who'll shine, and who'll stink.

Odds blog: Who will cover?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:17:01 GMT

A game by game breakdown by the experts

Live odds

Matchups/injuries

AL-05: Debate Reluctance?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:49:21 GMT
mooncat

I don't think so.

Dale Jackson is all in an uproar because some debate or forum he (with Right On Huntsville and the Rocket City Democrats, apparently) was trying to set up fell through.  Now Steve Raby (D) probably isn't interested in a debate with Dale as a moderator -- Dale's a little bit partisan, you know -- but Steve is a very smart guy and I imagine he'd like to get Mo Brooks on TV three nights a week from now to election day if he could, so Mo can talk about how he'll reduce government spending if we send him to Washington. 

Say it often enough and that message will sink in with the folks whose livelihood flows through that giant pipeline of federal dollars from Washington to Redstone Arsenal, Missile Command, NASA, the rocket plant in Decatur and so forth.  Send another loose cannon to Washington and watch them cut OUR federal dollars, not the ones headed for California or Texas.

The more people in North Alabama see and hear Mo Brooks, the less likely they're going to vote for him.  He's a nice enough guy to talk to, but he has some seriously crazy ideas and doesn't shy away from talking about them. 

I've no doubt there will be debates and forums between Raby and Brooks.  Hopefully many, and hopefully broadcast far and wide.  

GOP - the Pup Tent Party?
Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:01:44 GMT
mooncat

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R, GA) has an attack of the truth on what an exclusive club the Republican Party is:

We are a big tent organization if you are referring to my party, the Republican Party, I don’t think we’ll ever be as big a tent organization as the Democratic Party, their DNA is just a little bit different from ours quite frankly.

"Their DNA is just a little bit different from ours ..."  Yeah, we all know about DNA differences, don't we?  Black people, brown people, "foreigners" and so forth need not apply to the Republican Party.  And the rich white folks will always believe poor whites have something wrong with their DNA ... otherwise they wouldn't be poor, now would they? 

As the Think Progress article mentioned, this isn't some chance remark.  It's a mainstream belief within the Republican Party that they are not and don't want to be the Big Tent Party -- they're an exclusive club.  Last year Mike Huckabee said the Big Tent "will kill the conservative movement. Conservatives are conservatives because they have convictions and convictions aren’t preferences." And the Republican Party's pet network has now embarked upon an updated Southern Strategy to hawk fear of those with "different DNA" to fearful white voters in all 50 states.

They aren't the Pup Tent Party or the Big Tent Party, Republicans are the Exclusive, Don't-apply-if-you-don't-look-like-us, Country Club Party.  Always have been, always will be.

Time after time
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:58:07 GMT
SaintSatinStain

 If late paying your bill:

It takes 60 to 90 days and a court order for your electric power to be cut off in New York City.

It takes 10 days in Huntsville.

New York doesn't tax regular food.

The court system in New York is sometimes unfair to po' folk.

The court system in Alabama is always unfair to po' folk.

I stay here because I like to suffer?

I've nothing else to say today.  I am tired.

 

 

 

Pork! Not just the other white meat.
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:00:00 GMT
mooncat

Pork is the political grease that makes incumbents come 'round and 'round and 'round again.

Dino Rossi wasn't talking about Pork King Richard Shelby, but he could have been.

"The idea of dragging home pork is an old-school measurement of a senator,’ said Republican Dino Rossi… ‘And right now, with Republicans and Democrats alike doing that, it's bankrupting America. There's nothing in the Constitution that says the job of a senator is bringing home pork."

Below the fold, Cenk Uygur plays carrots and sticks on Shelby's pork barrel politics.

Are You The Liberal Dale Jackson?
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:47:28 GMT
DaleJackson

Meet Virginia Sweet, Progressive for House District 43 (Part 1)
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:58:23 GMT
mooncat

Virginia Sweet is a pro-reform, pro-good government Democrat running in House District 43 (Jefferson and Shelby Counties) to unseat incumbent Mary Sue McClurkin -- who has by the way accomplished very little since being elected in 1998.  That's Virginia with her rescue dog, Gracie, at right. 

We were first introduced to Virginia Sweet at a Downtown Democrats meeting a few months ago and I said, "I would not only be voting for her, I'd be out knocking on doors with her."  After a lengthy interview with her last week, I haven't backed off that assessment one bit and in fact urge all of you who live anywhere near her district (see map) to contact Virginia Sweet and help her get her message to voters.

She's that good. 

She's that progressive. 

She's that much exactly the kind of results oriented stateswoman we need in Montgomery.

The Alabama Legislature desperately needs a vibrant, forward-looking progressive caucus.  That means electing candidates like Virginia Sweet wherever we find them.  She kicked off her campaign back in February with this:

I have hope that if we get enough new faces in the House that the Legislature can muster its political will, hold itself accountable, and pass ethics reform.  I have hope that if Alabamians decide to put education number one that we will no longer be at the bottom of the barrel in all indicators of child well being, we won't have these horrible illiteracy rates and dropout rates ...  And I have hope that there will be this decade a resurgence of people participating in their government, lifting their voices, sounding their opinions and reasoning together so that we can help Alabama reach its potential.

HD43 is not a favorable district for a Democrat, but hard work and a great message can make up a lot of ground, even in a tough district.  Continue below the fold for Part 1 of out interview where Ms. Sweet talks about her background and why she is called to run for the Legislature.

Virginia Sweet has had a career in social work and earned a doctorate in public administration and public policy.  "While I worked so hard with people who were trying to improve their lives and their circumstances, it was always the policy and the laws that would really interfere.   It wasn't enough just to do the social work.  I needed to know how to influence that policy." 

She was executive director of the Women's Fund of Greater Birmingham.  During her tenure there they were able to plant a domestic violence court in Birmingham municipal court for the first time.  They created a coordinated community response to break down obstacles and, as a result, domestic assaults in Jefferson County declined by 10%.  "What held us up were issues at the state level.  The Legislature did not pass ... legislation to change strangulation from a misdemeanor to a felony.  Your hands are not a deadly weapon.  ...  We do know that if you strangle someone the next time you escalate you are more than likely going to have a weapon with you and that's when the deaths occur."

They also set up a prototype system to coordinate record-keeping so that local courts had the information to know about prior domestic violence offenses in other jurisdictions.  "There are not a lot of people out there abusing other people in domestic violence situations and intimate partner situations.  However, the same ones do it over and over again and it usually escalates and that's when people die."  These are the kind of common sense innovations that make government function more efficiently and effectively.  Improvements like these aren't rocket science, they're part of the science of government.

I asked Virginia about her determination to get out into the community and campaign person to person.  "I live in a district that is heavily Republican.  The incumbent is not known."

And about funding her campaign:  "The whole notion of some of these PACs just bothers me terribly.  That's one reason I'm running, is that the Legislature hasn't even passed PAC to PAC transfers, stopping those.  Hasn't passed the ethics reform at all.  I just felt like I was going to have to raise money from individuals and that I was also going to have to show a lot of people in this district who I was and the best way to do it was face by face, face to face."

"I'm fed up with all of this partisanship and all this corruption and greed and power ... that takes it out of the hands of the people.  If you can listen to people and learn from their perspective and be open to that, then that to me is not only a quality that I have learned throughout my whole career, but it is the way we will get to solutions for this state.  Across party lines.  Listening to constituents.  Not just saying 'I'm right and you're wrong.'  My party's right, your party's wrong.  Not the way to do it."

Better government.  More ethical government.  More transparent government.  Returning power to the people -- a key reform in Alabama where home rule is the exception, not the rule.  These are the sort of ideas that attract a broad spectrum of voters, even in right leaning districts.

Future installments of "Meet Virginia Sweet" will cover why she wants to represent HD43 in the State House, her views on public transportation, constitution reform, home rule and much more.  In the meantime, you can friend her on Facebook, follow her (@VSweet2010) on Twitter, volunteer at her website and, perhaps most importantly, contribute to her campaign at ActBlue. This is a people powered campaign, and it will take a lot of $5 and $10 contributions to supply the power it needs.

How the Great Recession Was Brought to an End
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:52:49 GMT
mooncat

Hint: Republicans voted against it, because NO is all they KNOW.

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