Economy
12:24 am
Fri September 28, 2012

Easy Money May Boost Economy But At What Cost?

Credit Richard Drew / AP
Specialist David Pologruto works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Sept. 13, as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke holds a news conference in Washington. The world's central banks are easing credit, putting more money into the global economy.

Originally published on Fri September 28, 2012 9:31 am

The world's central banks are pumping cash into their economies, pushing down interest rates in hopes the ready cash and lower rates will boost borrowing and economic activity. Everyone agrees the action is dramatic and unprecedented, but there's disagreement over whether they will do more harm than good.

Economists know very well the trillions of dollars being added by the central banks to the global economy can be risky.

"These are risks about long-term rises in inflation, housing bubbles potentially building up," says Jacob Kirkegaard of the Peterson Institute.

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Space
12:22 am
Fri September 28, 2012

NASA's Curiosity Finds Water Once Flowed On Mars

Credit NASA
NASA says it has found proof that water shaped the rocks on the left, in a photograph taken by the Mars rover Curiosity (left). For comparison, the agency released an image of rocks from Earth (right).

Originally published on Fri September 28, 2012 5:29 am

NASA's newest Mars rover, Curiosity, has snapped photos of rocky outcroppings that jut out from the alien soil, and scientists say they look like the remnants of an ancient stream bed where water once flowed on the surface of the red planet.

The exposed rocks look like broken slabs of concrete sidewalk, about four inches thick, and are made of rounded bits of gravel in a sandy matrix. The rock has eroded a little bit, and some of the smooth pebbles — about the size of M&M candies — have fallen down into a little pile.

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It's All Politics
4:21 pm
Thu September 27, 2012

Iowa Voters Who Are — Literally — Done With The Election

Credit Sarah McCammon / Iowa Public Radio
Iowans vote Thursday at the Polk County Auditor's Office in Des Moines. Voters lined up before the doors opened at 8 a.m. to cast ballots. At least 200 people had arrived within the first hour.

Originally published on Thu September 27, 2012 5:53 pm

Early in-person voting has begun in Iowa, the first swing state to open polling sites.

Residents of the battleground state can now vote in person at their local county auditors' offices or turn them in by mail. Some areas will offer additional satellite locations.

At the Polk County Auditor's office in downtown Des Moines Thursday morning, a line of voters stretched down the block as the door opened.

Peter Clay, 62, was among the many supporters of President Obama. He says he's volunteered for the campaign on his days off from his job as a zookeeper.

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The Two-Way
4:15 pm
Thu September 27, 2012

Cheese-Smuggling Ring Is Brought Down In Canda

Credit Alex Wong / Getty Images
Cheese that was smuggled into Canada may have brought profits of more than $165,000, according to police. Pizzerias were reportedly a main market for the criminals, who were arrested this week.

Originally published on Thu September 27, 2012 4:56 pm

A "large scale Canada-U.S. cheese smuggling operation" has been brought down, after an international investigation tracked criminals who were skirting import duties and Canada's higher cheese prices.

"The investigation revealed over $200,000 worth of cheese and other products were purchased and distributed for an estimated profit of over $165,000," Niagara police said.

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The Two-Way
3:59 pm
Thu September 27, 2012

Man Behind Anti-Muslim Film Arrested For Violating Terms Of Probation

Originally published on Thu September 27, 2012 8:54 pm

A federal judge in Los Angeles has ordered the man behind the anti-Islamic video that is believed to have sparked deadly protests in the Muslim world to be detained.

The Associated Press reports that U.S. Central District Chief Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal ordered Nakoula Basseley Nakoula held Thursday afternoon. He was deemed a flight risk.

Our original post continues:

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It's All Politics
2:59 pm
Thu September 27, 2012

In 1980s Romney Video From His Bain Days, Profits, Not Jobs, Were Focus

Originally published on Mon October 1, 2012 3:30 pm

Shots - Health Blog
2:56 pm
Thu September 27, 2012

Disease Detectives Catch Deadly African Virus Just As It Emerges

New viruses are popping up all over these days – Heartland virus in Missouri last month, a new virus in the same family as SARS in Saudi Arabia this month. And now, a never-before-seen hemorrhagic fever virus in central Africa.

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