THE HAPPINESS GAP

Social capital explains why conservatives are happier than liberals

Republican elephant giving thumbs up via Shutterstock

Those with a more conservative political orientation are happier because they have greater access to social capital, according to research published last month in Social Psychological and Personality Science.

THIS GUY, AGAIN?

Ex-South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford to run for Congress

Mark Sanford speaks to Fox News

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford will formally announce his plan to run for Congress on Wednesday.

BAD MOVE, SIR

Florida Gov. Rick Scott returned adopted dog named Reagan

Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott (flgov.com)

A rescue dog that was adopted by Flordia Gov. Rick Scott (R) as part of his campaign was later returned to its previous owners.

SACRAMENTAL HARRASSMENT

Elderly woman arrested for spraying ‘holy water’ on pro-choice activist

Spray bottle via Shutterstock

An elderly woman was arrested in Huntsville, Alabama last week for allegedly spraying a pro-choice demonstrator in the face with what she said was “holy water.”

GOP VS IMAGINARY OBAMA

Rand Paul blasts ‘King’ Obama over gun control

Rand Paul screenshot

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky blasted President Barack Obama on Tuesday, saying his plan to use executive orders to reduce gun violence was an attack on the Constitution.

TAX PLAN OF THE 1 PERCENT

Jindal’s tax proposal actually a tax increase for most Louisianans

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R), image via Wikimedia, Creative Commons licensed.

Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) proposal to eliminate income and corporate taxes would amount to a tax hike for most Louisianans, hitting those of lower income particularly hard.

Science

Former USGS scientist: Coastal cities are ‘sitting ducks’ for next big storm

Marcia McNutt, who resigned as director of the US Geological Survey, says Hurricane Sandy has…

Breast cancer drugs proposed for ‘high-risk’ women

Women with a family history of breast cancer who are thought to be at greater…

New York VA hospital exposes hundreds of veterans to HIV risk

More than 700 veterans may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C…

Japanese scientists breed salmon with surrogates from another species

Japanese scientists have successfully bred a type of salmon using surrogate parents of a different…

Tech News

Facebook unveils new graph search feature

Facebook on Tuesday ramped up its search capabilities at the world’s leading social network in…

Chinese Internet users hit 564 million in 2012

China’s population of Internet users grew by 50.9 million people in 2012 to 564 million,…

Media

‘Empire’ strikes back at White House over petition

Claiming “overwhelming military superiority,” the “Galactic Empire” from the Star Wars film series answered the…

‘The Atlantic’ drops controversial Scientology advertorial

The Atlantic‘s website has dropped a controversial paid advertorial from the Church of Scientology. TheNextWeb.com…

World

Second cholera outbreak affects 51 in Cuba

A new cholera outbreak has sickened 51 people in Havana, Cuba’s second in four months after a 130-year stretch without…

Study: Companies from emerging markets will shape global economy in next decade

Top companies from emerging markets are riding the rapid growth of their regions and will shape the global economy over…

Kenyan officials impound 600 pieces of ivory

Officials in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa have impounded more than 600 pieces of ivory, weighing two tonnes, officials…

Solar-powered robots coming to greener French wine future

An Earth-friendly future for French wine could include disease-resistant grapes, solar-powered robots, and lighter packaging, as vintners innovate to slash…

NASA: Chinese smog can be seen from space

China’s air pollution problem is so bad that on especially cold days in the country’s largest cities, the smog trapped…

U.S. News

New York passes tough new gun control laws

New York on Tuesday passed what supporters called the toughest gun ownership law in the…

Watchdog: U.S. postal service in desperate need of rescue from Congress

Inspector general David Williams says cash-strapped service, saddled with debt and low revenues, is in…

U.S. seeks new trade deal on services

The United States will meet representatives of other major economies to try to negotiate a…

Obama to demand gun control measures while surrounded by children

With recommendations from Biden in hand, president expected to opt for legislative options rather than…

Coburn: Debt ceiling breach is ‘a wonderful experiment’ to shut down ‘stupid things’

Economists like Nobel prize-winner Paul Krugman have warned that Republicans could “blow up the world…

Wyden asks Obama’s terrorism chief for rules governing assassination of U.S. citizens

Before he votes to confirm Obama terrorism czar John Brennan as head of the Central…

KY sheriff vowed to defy gun laws because 2nd Amendment is ‘like the Bible’

A Kentucky sheriff who refused to enforce any new gun laws that he deemed unconstitutional…

Gingrich: Obama bullying Republicans by refusing to cave on debt ceiling

Former Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich says that House Republicans can’t win a fight to…