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The top 25 celebrity baby names of all time

Many celebrities are creative people, but seldom does their creativity get more free rein than when they’re naming their own offspring. From Beyonce and Jay-Z's firstborn Blue Ivy to Frank Zappa's daughter's avante-garde moniker Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen, there are plenty of unusual names.
Not just sexy Kim Jong-un: 5 times the Onion has fooled foreign media

When the People's Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, took as straight news The Onion's declaration that stout North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un was 2012's "Sexiest Man Alive," it became the biggest foreign media outlet to be fooled by the satirical American newspaper. But it is not the first. Here are several other foreign news sites that took Onion fiction as newsworthy fact.
Briefing
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 differences on women's issues

President Obama won the women’s vote four years ago, and he’ll need to again to win reelection, given Mitt Romney’s strength among male voters. Here are some of the women’s issues on which the candidates differ.
What recovery? Top 10 cities losing jobs

For some regions of the US, talk of an economic recovery is more wishful thinking than reality. Here are the top 10 metropolitan areas that continue to struggle with unemployment, from the Carpet Capital of the World to the home of an Ivy League university.
Three lessons of Jeremiah Wright plan against Obama

News about a proposal to use the Rev. Jeremiah Wright against President Obama in a GOP “super PAC” ad campaign caused the political world to combust. Charges of “race-baiting” flew, and suddenly the idea was an orphan. It’s safe to say, the ads will never be made. But there are lessons to be learned.

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Obama vs. Boehner speech spat: Another sign of presidential disrespect?

For the first time, Congress refused a president's request to speak before a joint session. Some Dems see this as part of a pattern of disrespect toward Obama.
Libya's rebels say, again, that they've cornered Qaddafi
What happens next in Libya? America's five greatest concerns.

The push toward a post-Qaddafi regime in Libya is raising questions in Washington about how far a US commitment extends to ensuring a peaceful transition to democracy. The rationale for US and NATO engagement in Libya was to avoid a massacre of civilians in March. Now, as the civil war moves toward a resolution, the Obama administration and Congress appear to be taking a wait-and-see approach. But with an eye to lessons from regime change in Iraq, some lawmakers are urging steps now to help shape the transition in Libya, including some moves that put them at odds with the Obama administration. Here are five.
Qaddafi’s quirky crush on Condoleezza Rice

Qaddafi and Condoleezza Rice: Muammar Qaddafi is known for being surpassingly weird, but what's wrong with having a crush on Condoleezza Rice?
US, UN poised for diplomatic assault on Syria's Assad

The US is expected to call for Bashar al-Assad to step down and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will push for International Criminal Court action against the Syrian president.
PlayStation 3 price drop: Enough to bolster Sony sales?

The PlayStation 3 is getting a price drop of fifty bucks. Meanwhile, will the Sony Vita portable be DOA?
Ramadan 101: Five facts about the holy month of Ramadan

Muslims around the world will begin celebrating Ramadan today. Throughout the month-long holiday, they will fast from dawn to dusk. Ramadan is happening at the heart of summer this year, posing a greater challenge than normal for those observing the fast.
What Grover Norquist means by 'no new taxes'

Norquist says that letting Bush tax cuts expire wouldn't violate the pledge of 'no new taxes,' but it would violate the position of his organization, Americans for Tax Reform
Eliot Spitzer canceled by CNN

Eliot Spitzer canceled: CNN reshuffled its schedule move Anderson Cooper's flagship newscast into the tough 8 p.m. time slot and eliminate Spitzer's 'In the Arena' program.
Mark Halperin suspended indefinitely from MSNBC: When language bites

After referring to President Obama with a term that can't appear in a family newspaper, MSNBC commentator Mark Halperin was suspended from the network and issued a warning by Time Magazine, where he is an editor-at-large.
Tempest in a Twitterpot: Why Keith Olbermann generated such a fuss

Keith Olbermann transported his signature show from MSNBC to the little-watched Current TV, almost quadrupling their ratings – and setting off a twitterstorm by running long.
Jon Stewart vs. Fox News, Day 2: Who's winning?

Jon Stewart and Chris Wallace traded barbs in a discussion about journalism on 'Fox News Sunday.' On Monday, the skirmish continued on 'The Daily Show.'
Sarah Palin vs. mainstream media: Who's winning?

Sarah Palin's Bus Tour to Nowhere is attracting a gaggle of reporters, much to the chagrin of the declared Republican candidates. How savvy is Sarah Palin in handling the media?
ESPN: Wild times behind the scenes are laid bare in "Those Guys Have All the Fun"

"Those Guys Have All the Fun" offers a warts-and-all portrayal of ESPN's infamously male-dominated culture.
Rudy redux: What's behind the Giuliani-for-President rumors?

Get ready for Rudymania! Or maybe not. His friend, Rep. Peter King, says Rudy Giuliani 'is very close' to running, but have his prospects improved at all since his campaign nosedived in '08?
Online media is replacing newspapers and TV. Is that a bad thing?

How the new online media landscape is changing the way the public gets its news.
Opinion: Why I watched Trump and the birthers instead of PBS News Hour

Why was someone like me, who craves 'real, thoughtful news' glued to the ridiculous spectacle of Donald Trump and the birthers? Because shaking our finger in righteous anger makes us feel more in control of a complicated world. We just need to channel that anger into self-awareness.
The roar of Ron Paul: Five of his unorthodox views on the economy

Ron Paul, the Texas congressman who is expected to announce an official "exploratory committee" for a presidential run Tuesday, is known for his passionate espousal of free markets and sound money. To supporters, Congressman Paul has stood as a lone voice of reason in Congress, wiser than Wall Street. Critics see his views on issues like reviving a gold standard or ending the Federal Reserve as simplistic and more dangerous than the ills he hopes to cure. Here are his own words on key economic issues:
Donald Trump's three-point plan to solve the national debt

How would a President Trump deal with the national debt? He hasn't been asked that too often, but here are some indications. Hint: He blasted Obama's latest speech on the subject.
iPad 2 wins high marks from sticklers at Consumer Reports

iPad 2 – the successor to the Apple iPad – is a favorite among Consumer Reports staffers.
Obama lays out rationale for war in Libya

Until now, President Obama has been reluctant to make a major speech on Libya. Now, he's scheduled to speak on the Libya mission Monday, previewed in his Saturday radio address.
Nintendo 3DS review roundup

Nintendo 3DS hits store shelves this week. We take an early look at the reviews.
Japan. Libya. The deficit. Did Obama have time to go on ESPN?

After Obama announced his 'bracket' choices on live TV, he drew fire from Republicans for not focusing more on world crises and the deficit. Was his ESPN appearance a bit of March Madness?
Opinion: NPR defunding vote: Don't diminish democracy to settle a political score

The NPR video sting makes it easier to repeat the talking point that public radio doesn’t deserve public support. But research of public media in other democracies shows the opposite is true.
Libya's Qaddafi offers $400 per family as rebels close in on Tripoli

Libya's besieged leader, facing a rebel advance on Tripoli and possible international sanctions, also pledged a 150 percent increase in some government workers' wages.