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Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Two-Way

On 'Fiscal Cliff,' Majority Of Public Sides With Democrats, Pew Poll Says

President Obama, with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) behind him, delivering his State of the Union address last January.

December 13, 2012 Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said President Obama is making a "serious effort" to work with Republicans. Just 32 percent said Republicans are making a serious effort to work with the Democratic president.

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The Two-Way

Here's Some Good News: Volunteering Is On The Rise

Nov. 22: Volunteers prepared  Thanksgiving dinners for people in the Queens borough of New York City, which was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy.

December 13, 2012 A holiday reminder of how generous many Americans are: More than 64 million people volunteered through a formal organization in 2011, a new report shows. That was up from the year before and part of a trend.

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How The Rich Feel About Paying More Taxes

How much income tax should the top 2 percent of U.S. earners pay? Just about everyone has an opinion, but the opinions that count are those of President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner.

December 13, 2012 Many people earning more than $250,000 a year — the 2 percent — admit they can afford to pay more in taxes. However, they don't necessarily like the idea, especially when they're made to feel like skinflints even though they're already sending significant sums to Washington.

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It's All Politics

For Business Owners, Higher Taxes Could Mean Fewer New Hires — Or More

President Obama examines a K'NEX roller coaster on Nov. 30 at a Hatfield, Pa., factory that makes the toys. During the visit, Obama spoke about the economy, the middle class and his plan to raise taxes on top wage earners.

December 13, 2012 If the tax rate rises for the top 2 percent of wage earners, business owners would generally react by hiring fewer new workers, according to a fundamental Republican argument. But the actual outcome might be a bit murkier, and — in some instances — counterintuitive.

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Planet Money

Will A $1.9 Billion Settlement Change Banks' Behavior?

A picture shows the logo on an HSBC branch on Dec. 5, 2011. Britain's financial regulator said on Dec. 5 that it had fined HSBC 10.5 million British pounds after one of the banking giant's subsidiaries missold financial retail products to elderly clients.

December 13, 2012 For punishments to work, they need to be both swift and meaningful. The HSBC settlement may be neither.

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It's All Politics

Report On CIA Interrogation Tactics Revives Torture Debate

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., have opposing views about a report detailing CIA detention and interrogation practices.

December 13, 2012 In a closed-door meeting Thursday, lawmakers will consider whether to approve the report, which human rights groups are pushing to be made public. It's part of an ongoing fight over whether harsh interrogation methods, which critics compared to torture, were effective.

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Arts & Life

Letters From 'Peanuts' Creator Reveal Bittersweet Romance

The collection's estimated price is $250,000 to $350,000.

December 13, 2012 On Friday, Sotheby's is putting up for auction 44 letters and 35 drawings Charles Schulz gave to a young woman he was courting. Schulz, 48, wrote Tracey Claudius, 25, poignant, funny, even innocent notes in pictures and words, often using Charlie Brown to stand in for himself.

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Religion

From Gang Member To Hip-Hop Church Leader

Pastor Troy Evans of Edge Urban Fellowship in Grand Rapids, Mich.

December 13, 2012 MRAcross the country, so-called hip-hop churches fuse religion, music and dance to lure gang members off the streets. Troy Evans, a former gang member, leads Edge Urban Fellowship in Grand Rapids, Mich. He says that leading church congregants isn't that much different from leading gang members.

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Superstorm Sandy: Before, During And Beyond

New York Planners Prep For A 'New Normal' Of Powerful Storms

A woman with the Army Corps of Engineers documents a destroyed home last month in a residential area of New Dorp Beach on Staten Island in New York City.

December 13, 2012 In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, New Yorkers, local politicians and scientists face a tough decision: How to spend limited funds to defend themselves in a world where climate change is making flooding from coastal storms ever more likely.

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Business

Etsy Crafts A Strategy For Staying Handmade And Profitable

Etsy, which began as a place for home crafters and small businesses to sell their goods, has experienced growing pains as it surpasses 800,000 sellers.

December 13, 2012 Etsy began as a place for home crafters and small businesses to sell their goods, but it has experienced growing pains as it surpasses 800,000 sellers. Some sellers are actually fronts for factories, while other sellers have left because the site isn't designed to handle volume.

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Finding A Child Online: How The Web Is Transforming Adoption

Eric James and his partner, Zerxes Spencer, have spent the past year looking to adopt. To speed up the arduous process, the couple built a website about their lives to draw in interested birth mothers.

December 13, 2012 The Internet has vastly broadened the market for matching children with prospective parents. While some welcome the shift, a new report finds that the rise of Web-based adoption providers also raises ethical concerns.

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