Story of the Day

Eden Full took time off from her studies at Princeton University to work on her startup full time, after being selected for the inaugural class of the 20 Under 20 Thiel Fellowship.

Who Needs College? Young Entrepreneuer Bets On Bright Idea For Solar Energy

10:44am December 13, 2012

by Steve Henn

Eden Full dropped out of Princeton to found a startup company that brings the solar panel technology she invented to developing countries as part of a fellowship. The unusual program, funded by tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel, gives young people $100,000 to skip college and focus on their work and research instead.

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A model at the front entrance to the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store in New York City.

Mystery On Fifth Avenue: A Constant Line Outside Abercrombie & Fitch

9:34pm December 11, 2012

by Margot Adler

For years, shoppers in Manhattan's Fifth Avenue have lined up in front the store everyday before it opens. The question is why.

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Jenny Adams in the Wayland Bar in Alphabet City, where she stored piles of relief supplies to distribute. Adams raised $10,000 through a crowdfunding website to help her neighbors affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Everyone Chip In, Please: Crowdfunding Sandy

7:40pm December 10, 2012

by Alex Goldmark

Crowdfunding is a simple way for anyone to ask for money online from friends, family and even strangers. One woman raised $10,000 to help her neighbors affected by Hurricane Sandy. She's been hand-delivering checks to owners of damaged businesses and people who just need the extra lift.

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Hundreds gather in Baltimore's harbor Sept. 22 to witness the naturalization of nearly 50 new Americans.

Baltimore Says, 'Immigrants Welcome'

7:09pm December 09, 2012

Baltimore's population has been declining for decades. Now the city is reaching beyond its borders for growth, courting immigrants with new programs and laws. The big question: Will it work?

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Abandoned and flooded cars sit in the Rockaway neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., on Nov. 2. It's estimated that it could cost auto insurers $800 million to deal with all the claims from the storm.

National

Next Post-Sandy Challenge: The Sea Of Damaged Cars

9:40pm December 08, 2012

by Ilya Marritz

Hurricane Sandy wrecked hundreds of thousands of cars along the New York and New Jersey shorelines, and could cost auto insurers around $800 million. That's not the companies' only problem, though; disposing of these water-damaged vehicles isn't so simple.

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Supreme Court Takes Up Same-Sex-Marriage Cases

11:50pm December 07, 2012

by Nina Totenberg

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday that for the first time it will tackle the issue of same-sex marriage. Defying most expectations, the justices said they will examine two cases, presenting the possibility that the court could decide all the basic issues surrounding gay marriage in one fell swoop.

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When researchers looked at the genetic sequences of 179 individuals, they found far more defects in the patterns of As, Ts, Gs, and Cs than they expected.

Perfection Is Skin Deep: Everyone Has Flawed Genes

10:19pm December 06, 2012

by Rob Stein

Researchers found a surprising number of mutations, including several associated with disease, in the genes of normal healthy people. Their study raises questions about whether widespread genetic sequencing could end up scaring people for no good reason.

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National

Texas Twang Fixin' To Ride Off Into The Sunset

8:25pm December 05, 2012

by Matt Largey

The way Texans speak, from using words like "y'all" to that old Texas twang, is iconic in American culture. But linguists say the twang is fading — and that, in a few decades, "talking Texan" may sound quite different than it does today.

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The $100 guitar proves once again that it's not just the instrument, it's what you do with it.

Music & Culture

A $100 Guitar Makes A 30,000-Mile Odyssey

8:20pm December 04, 2012

by Joel Rose

The $100 Guitar Project started when two friends bought a cheap guitar on a whim. They invited some other friends to compose and record an original piece on the instrument. Nels Cline, Fred Frith and Elliott Sharp are among the 65 guitarists who recorded for the project that went viral.

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Rabbi A. Romi Cohn, a noted mohel, prepares an infant for circumcision at Congregation Shaare Zion in Brooklyn on Sept. 4. Cohn opposes a New York City rule requiring parental consent for a type of circumcision ritual practiced by some Orthodox Jews.

New York, Orthodox Jews Clash Over Circumcision

8:25pm December 03, 2012

by Joel Rose

Several Jewish leaders are suing New York City to block a new rule regulating a circumcision ritual known as metzitzah b'peh. City health officials say the ritual, practiced by some Orthodox Jews, can spread the herpes virus to infants. But critics say the law infringes on their freedom of religion.

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