Topic: Atlanta

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How 5 young black men see the Trayvon Martin case

The Monitor approached, at random, five young black men in Boston, Los Angeles, Coral Gables, Fla., and Louisville, Ky., and asked them to talk about the Trayvon Martin case, race relations, hoodies, and, of course, their own life experiences. Here's what they had to say.
10 best cities to buy short sale homes

Foreclosures are tough: Homeowners lose their houses and ruin their credit, while banks get stuck with vacant, deteriorating real estate for months before selling it at a considerable loss. Increasingly, banks are finding another way: the short sale. Instead of waiting to foreclose, a bank preemptively sells a home at a deep discount and closes out the underwater mortgage, even if the house sells for less than the value of the mortgage. The result: Homeowners shed their mortgage debt, and banks unload properties more quickly and inexpensively. Here are the Top 10 metropolitan areas with the biggest average discounts on these pre-foreclosure homes, according to online foreclosure marketplace RealtyTrac. Can you guess which city is No. 1?
International Women's Day: Meet the 10 richest women

The day before International Women's Day, Forbes magazine released its annual billionaires list for 2012 headed, predictably, by men. But this year, 14 of the richest 100 were women. In honor of International Women’s Day, here’s a countdown of the Top 10, a list that includes a few mining tycoons, a media mogul, and a pair of Wal-Mart heiresses. Which wealthy woman snagged the top spot?
Baseball spring training: The facts, from history to cheap seats

Spring training is when players shed the winter rust by limbering up on warm, sun-baked diamonds, sign autographs galore, and provide hope that this may be their team’s year. As preseason games between major-league teams begin on Saturday, here are a few facts to give you some background on spring ball.
Walter Payton: 10 things I learned from his new biography

From the new biography 'Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter Payton' by Jeff Pearlman, here are 10 memorable stories about the football star.

All Content

Etan Patz case: Will self-admitted killer's prayer group confession hold up?

If charges are brought against Pedro Hernandez for the killing of Etan Patz, the case could turn on whether confession made to a prayer group is confidential like that made to a priest.
Home prices hit post-boom lows: What does that mean for housing market?

Despite fresh optimism about the housing market, home prices in the Case-Shiller Index fell during the first quarter, suggesting that the market is still stabilizing.
Tropical storm Beryl gives South hurricane prep test

Tropical storm Beryl dumped much needed rain in the South, and caused some power outages. Jacksonville, Fla. officials say Beryl was a 'dry run' for the hurricane season which starts Friday.
President Obama smoked pot in high school. Why is he against legalizing marijuana?

A new biography details Barack Obama's use of marijuana in high school and college, not unusual for a young man at that time. As president, Obama has taken a tougher line on drug use, including marijuana for medical reasons.
Ready for summer? Family vacation season opens with Memorial Day

The summer travel season, whether its visiting Coney Island, Disneyland or Yellowstone, opens Memorial Day weekend. Time to schedule those flights and check the highways for this year's family vacation.
Etan Patz case: Are today's kids less likely to be nabbed by a stranger?

The abduction of Etan Patz in 1979 became part of a mosaic of parental fear that dramatically changed the American childhood experience. But it also saved lives, data suggest.
Chapter & Verse
Stephen Colbert's children's book tops the bestseller list

Stephen Colbert's latest release – a picture book aimed at young adults and up – follows a pole as it searches for the perfect job.
Mrs. Eastwood, star of new reality show, talks family, boy bands

Mrs. Eastwood, star of a new reality show, talks family, boy bands and her famous husband in a candid interview about her newly-debuted television show on the E! network.
Arby's: Michigan boy bites into severed finger in his sandwich

Arby's apologizes for the accident in which part of a worker's finger was sliced off and served in a roast beef sandwich to a Michigan boy.
Suave's lesson in 'soft skills'

The secret of success may be to act more like this Dominican street dog.
Focus
The gay marriage paradox: as acceptance rises, so do legal barriers

President Obama's embrace of gay marriage mirrors growing support among many Americans, but states continue to ban it. The US Supreme Court could play a key role.
Boston Celtics' trident skewers Philadelphia 76ers

The Celtics' three-pronged attack was too much for the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night. Celtics 107, 76ers 91.
White births in US no longer a majority

White births in the US have been surpassed by racial and ethnic minorities, according to newest Census data.
Florida teacher, fired for premarital sex, has right to a trial, court rules

A teacher at a Christian school, fired in 2009 ostensibly for engaging in premarital sex, can proceed with her lawsuit against the school, a US appeals court ruled Wednesday. She says the real reason she lost her job was pregnancy.
Researchers tinker with bird flu: Are enough safeguards in place?

A new study and one to be published soon on Asian bird flu have prompted debate about safeguards during research and how much access others should have to research details.
Florida A&M hazing: Charges could clip violent traditions (+video)

Florida A&M hazing case might be paving the way for a new era of reform. On Wednesday, 13 individuals were charged in the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion last November.
May Day: Tear gas in Oakland, broken windows in Seattle (+video)

Most of the May Day protests were peaceful, but violence reared its head in some cities. The Occupy Wall Street movement was at the forefront of many rallies.
Florida-style 'Stand Your Ground' gun laws sub impulse for intelligent thinking

Even as George Zimmerman stands trial for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, many Americans argue these laws make us safe. I've had pistols held to my head from Bosnia to Beirut. Your best self-defense is your tongue. Those who put their faith in guns will ultimately be outgunned.
Home prices: New numbers raise hopes they're finally starting to stabilize

Declines in home prices may be slowing, according to one report, while another has found the first year-on-year increase in prices since July 2007.
In 1978 Egypt, Jimmy Carter had cachet. In 'new' Egypt, not so much.

Jimmy Carter brokered the Camp David Accords that normalized Egyptian-Israeli relations. This week Egypt's military rulers dissed the ex-president, refusing to allow his Carter Center to observe the presidential election next month.
The Great Inversion and the Future of the American City

From Brooklyn to Philly to Houston: Is the American city of today becoming more like Paris?
Earth Day technology: the spray-on solar panel?

New firms are challenging conventional rooftop solar by using thin-film technology on windows and even indoors. On this Earth Day, conventional Chinese companies are the cost leaders. But US firms have the technical edge.
Kindergartner handcuff case: Do we need police in schools?

The handcuff case of a Georgia kindergartner who threw a tantrum renews national debate about police in schools.
Bill Cosby says Trayvon Martin case is about gun ownership, not race

Comedian Bill Cosby says the Trayvon Martin case is not about racism, it is about gun ownership. The Trayvon Martin case has also put a spotlight on Stand Your Ground laws.
If you're reading this, you might be a baboon

Scientists have found that baboons are adept at pattern recognition, being able to distinguish between real and fake four-letter words about three out of four times.