Topic: California

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Verbal Energy Shooting our mouths off, as well as our guns

After yet another mass shooting, the Monitor's language columnist considers the role of gun metaphors in ordinary conversation.
Top Picks: Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes' debut album, Frying Pan News' poetry initiative, and more

Bobby McFerrin records an album of African-American spirituals, StarMap 3D identifies constellations, and more.
Tax VOX What not to do with tax money

As states reap in tax collections, governors and legislators face the question of how to manage the short-term windfall. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is pursuing targeted tax cuts in the hopes of reviving upstate businesses, is implementing the wrong policy, Rueben argues.
Men's Wearhouse fires founder: Is Zimmer's career over?

George Zimmer founded the men's clothier and led it to significant growth over four decades: from one store in Texas to 1,143 locations. Even so, the company's board has abruptly fired him. According to his contract, he will continue to be compensated for appearing in the company's ads and marketing.
Opinion Ocean's little fish are a big deal (+video)

Small 'forage fish' are a crucial source for larger animals in the ocean ecosystem. Without little fish, there can be no big fish. Pacific coast fishing leaders should thus adopt safeguards to prohibit fishing of saury until it can be shown that this would not adversely impact the ecosystem.
Focus Squeezed by regulations, Chinese recyclers scrounge for scrap in dead of night

Shortages of raw material for recyclers is driving prices up and sending suppliers to the black market.
Pet food recall: Sweeping recall affects food for cats, dogs, and ferrets

Natura is recalling all pet food manufactured before last week. The recall includes all Innova, California Natural, EVO, Healthwise, Mother Nature, and Karma branded dry pet food and treats.
Energy Voices Fighting climate change with nuclear energy

Nuclear power is currently the only carbon-free energy source that can provide base load electricity, Stepp writes, a characteristic crucial to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change. Next-generation nuclear energy offers even more productive strategies for reducing carbon emissions.
10 biggest US foundations and what they do

What are the 10 biggest foundations in the United States? Here they are in ascending order, based on their assets, along with a little bit about what social problems each addresses.
USA Update Why Colorado's Black Forest wildfire is now being called a crime scene

Authorities are treating Colorado's Black Forest wildfire as the site of a criminal probe. At issue: the start of the fire and the deaths of two people as they were apparently trying to evacuate their house.
Opinion Put our kids first, Mr. Holder, and enforce federal law against marijuana

Anyone who is cultivating, selling, or distributing marijuana is violating the federal Controlled Substances Act, regardless of state law. Obama must enforce federal law and begin prosecutions to stop the proliferation of 'medical' and recreational marijuana that is harming our kids.
NASA chooses eight new astronauts, four of them women

The eight new astronauts are expected to man some of NASA's boldest, most anticipated new missions, including travel to Mars.
Cover Story School prayer: 50 years after the ban, God and faith more present than ever

School prayer was banned by the US Supreme Court 50 years ago, but there is probably more presence of religion in public school environments – through club ministries, classes, after-school and interfaith programs, and faith-based services – than ever.
Energy Voices San Onofre: the fallout from closing California's nuclear plant

Last week a California utility announced it would close the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. That closure, along with the shutting down of other nuclear plants, will have serious consequences for consumers and slow efforts to reign in greenhouse gas emissions, Styles writes.
Horrors, darling! A mansion shortage.

Mansions are hard to come by in America's richest ZIP codes, as buyers snap them up. Inventory in Palm Beach, Fla., is down 70 percent. Carmel, Calif., only has four $1 million-plus homes on the market.
Study raises hope of combating global warming by reducing soot

Black-carbon soot is the No. 2 global warming agent released into the atmosphere by human activities. A landmark study in California shows some success in controlling it.
Gun control fight not over, Newtown families vow as anniversary nears

The families have converged on Washington to meet with President Obama and lawmakers and read names of those killed by gun violence. Friday marks six months since the Newtown shootings.
Are Calif. labor-protest laws constitutional? Supreme Court turns away case

Members of a labor union picketed a non-union grocery store in Sacramento, Calif. The US Supreme Court declined an appeal challenging the constitutionality of two state laws that allow such picketing.
Japanese troops to converge on Calif. in unprecedented military exercise

Japanese troops in the US: American and Japanese military officials said the training will help Japan's Self-Defense Force better respond to crises such as natural disasters.
Robert Reich The quiet shutting down of Washington

Conservative Republicans have basically shut Congress down — preventing Obama from implementing tax reform, minimum wage hikes, and background checks on guns, Reich argues.
USA Update Santa Monica shootings: Were gun control laws powerless to stop suspect? (+video)

John Zawahri, the alleged attacker in the Santa Monica shootings, had a semiautomatic rifle, more than 1,000 bullets, and a history of mental troubles, law enforcement sources say.
Cover Story Return of the Rocky Mountain high

Towns in the Mountain West, once held back by their isolated geography, are luring a new generation because of their scenic beauty. The hub of the 'Green Coast' movement: Bozeman, Montana.
SWAT-clad man uses assault rifle in chaotic Santa Monica shooting spree

Police have yet to identify the shooter or his motive in an attack Friday that killed four people and wounded five more in Santa Monica, Calif. The attacker was wearing SWAT-type gear and firing an assault rifle.
Obama touts California as health-care reform model. Will costs really fall?

The impact of President Obama's health-care law on medical costs is hotly debated. On Friday, he argued his side, highlighting trends in a state where premiums by some measures may not change much.
California nuclear plant to shut: a case of unforgiving nuclear economics

Southern California Edison is shutting the remaining two reactors at San Onofre, citing high repair costs and an NRC ruling that the utility says would delay reactor restarts.