Topic: Florida

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Top 10 best 'flip market' cities

These 10 cities were the most profitable markets for people flipping a house in 2012, according to RealtyTrac. Can you guess which city had the highest average profit on flipped homes?

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Zimmerman won't get his gun back yet, per Justice Department. What's up?

The US Justice Department wants the George Zimmerman gun and other physical evidence in the Trayvon Martin shooting to be held intact, pending its civil rights probe. That might signal stepped-up activity by the feds, but analysts see reason to doubt they will ultimately file charges.
Jimmy Carter: Unchecked campaign contributions are 'legal bribery'

'It's accepted fact,' Carter said during a speech in Atlanta. 'It's legal bribery of candidates. And that repayment may be in the form of an ambassadorship...'
Feds target 'stand your ground' laws, but what can they do?

Neither Congress nor the executive branch can force states to change their laws, and courts have been skeptical about attempts to strike down stand your ground legislation. At least one juror has said this law was a key factor in the George Zimmerman verdict.
Grom Social – a social network for people under 16, made by a 13-year-old

When 13-year-old Zach Marks's parents kicked him off of Facebook, he didn't get mad, he made his own social network. Now, the 16 and under GromSocial.com has 70,000 members in 199 different countries and a staff of 16.
Why Zimmerman verdict might not roll back 'stand your ground' laws (+video)

The US attorney general, Juror B37, and even Stevie Wonder express reservations about self-defense laws like Florida's 'stand your ground' statute, a factor in the George Zimmerman trial. What's the likelihood such laws will be reconsidered?
The Monitor's View Why Holder's probe of 'stand your ground' laws stands out

US Attorney General Eric Holder said after the George Zimmerman verdict that Justice will take a 'hard look' at the many 'stand your ground' state laws, such as Florida's. Such laws need challenging as they reverse history's path away from killing.
Kate Middleton and the royal baby's gender: Why some don't want to know

Kate Middleton and husband Prince William are not alone in not wanting to know the gender of their first child. They're part of a group of expectant parents choosing the same thing – some have dubbed themselves Team Green.
Top 10 best 'flip market' cities

These 10 cities were the most profitable markets for people flipping a house in 2012, according to RealtyTrac. Can you guess which city had the highest average profit on flipped homes?
Decoder Wire On immigration reform, more Americans hew to the Democrats' stance

Forty-eight percent of Americans say their views on immigration reform align best with the Democratic Party, compared with 36 percent whose views are closer to the Republican Party, a new poll shows. The gap is much wider for blacks and Hispanics.
Zimmerman not guilty: Victory for new kind of civil rights era?

Persecution of lawful gun owners is the new civil rights battle, many Americans claim. George Zimmerman just became their icon.
George Zimmerman verdict: 'Not guilty' in death of Trayvon Martin

After 17 months, the case of George Zimmerman – charged with shooting unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin – came to a close Saturday night when a jury of six women found Zimmerman not guilty of all charges. The case came to be seen as a parable involving civil rights, racial profiling, racism, gun rights, and the changing definitions of self-defense in public places.
Police in Florida warn against riots in wake of a George Zimmerman verdict

As jurors in the George Zimmerman trial began deliberations Friday, officials warn against post-verdict violence and take precautions to stem it. Are conditions ripe for racial unrest? At least one expert doubts it.
Progress Watch Cocaine use: Will the factors behind its steady decline continue?

The US government released more good news this month about impeding entry of cocaine into the country. Still, opinions vary when it comes to interpreting the overall cocaine-use decline and the possible reasons for it.
Weighty words, charged atmosphere as Zimmerman trial rests with jury

Lawyers' closing arguments in the George Zimmerman trial invoked the Founding Fathers and Martin Luther King Jr. – portentous words for a high-stakes case. Jurors began deliberations Friday afternoon.
Energy Voices Climate change threatens nation's energy, DOE report warns

Climate change and extreme weather are disrupting the ways we generate, distribute, and consume energy, according to a report released Thursday by the US Department of Energy. It's part of a growing acknowledgement among officials for a need to adapt to the planet's changing climate.
George Zimmerman trial: 5 poignant moments

The jury is set to begin deliberations on whether George Zimmerman committed murder when he shot an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin, on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford, Fla., or whether it was an act of self-defense. Here are five moments stand out from the trial.
George Zimmerman trial: Jury can consider lesser charge of manslaughter (+video)

The judge in the George Zimmerman murder trial will give the jury the option of convicting him of a lesser charge, despite objections from the defense. Some legal analysts say prosecutors were not confident of their case for second-degree murder in the Trayvon Martin shooting.
Trayvon Martin as pot smoker: What Zimmerman defense stands to gain

The judge overseeing the George Zimmerman trial has ruled that the defense can discuss how marijuana use might have affected Trayvon Martin on the night of his fatal encounter with the defendant. The strategy serves several purposes.
Golden Corral dumpster meat video prompts investigation (+video)

Golden Corral dumpster, shown in a video posted by an employee, had food in serving trays sitting outdoors. The Golden Corral dumpster video raised sanitation concerns and got a manager fired, but the company claims the employee's father tried to sell the video for thousands.
George Zimmerman prosecution leaves jury to untangle lies and justification

The State of Florida rested its case Friday against George Zimmerman, on trial for killing unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin last year. The state faces long odds in winning a conviction.
Trayvon Martin case: As prosecution rests, saga captivates Americans

Florida prosecutors on Friday finished laying out their case against George Zimmerman, who faces second-degree murder charges in the fatal shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin. Why is this particular trial so riveting for so many?
Five best and worst states for job growth

Some states have fared much better than others in reducing their unemployment rates in the past year. Can you guess which boom state was among those that backtracked?
Trayvon Martin case: Zimmerman studied self-defense law, witness says (+video)

A college professor testified Wednesday that George Zimmerman learned in his criminal justice class about Florida's self-defense law. Why prosecutors in the Trayvon Martin shooting are keen to establish that.
Decoder Wire Poll: Republicans pushing immigration reform could score with Latinos in 2016

Presidential hopefuls Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and Paul Ryan are well positioned to win over some of the Latino voters who backed Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, according to the new poll.
Chapter & Verse George Packer talks about the 'unwinding' of America

George Packer discusses his new book, 'The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America' – a country no longer assumed to be a global leader, even as its internal economic gulf widens.