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New Power Plant Rules Likely To Start Slow-Burning Debate, Legal Action

A coal scraper machine works on a pile of coal at American Electric Power's Mountaineer coal power plant in 2009 in New Haven, W.Va. The state, in which coal mining is a major industry, is one party planning to sue the Environmental Protection Agency regarding new power plant regulations announced Monday. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Politics

New Power Plant Rules Likely To Start Slow-Burning Debate, Legal Action

A huge legal battle is coming over the White House plan to address climate change with additional power plant regulations. The coal industry has the most to lose, and plans to take the EPA to court.

New Power Plant Rules Likely To Start Slow-Burning Debate, Legal Action

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Dentists Have No Right To Limit Who Can Whiten Your Teeth, Justices Say

Want to get your teeth whitened? You may soon have more options. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a state board of dentistry unfairly drove competitors out of business by trying to block non-dentists from providing whitening services. Vince Bucci/Getty Images hide caption

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Vince Bucci/Getty Images

The Two-Way

Dentists Have No Right To Limit Who Can Whiten Your Teeth, Justices Say

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a North Carolina case that a board made up largely of dentists may not regulate whitening services.

New Texas Governor Adds To Tension Between State, City Governments

Texas Gov.-elect Greg Abbott acknowledges the crowd Nov. 4 after his victory speech in Austin. David J. Phillip/AP hide caption

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David J. Phillip/AP

National

New Texas Governor Adds To Tension Between State, City Governments

There's growing tension between the state government and big cities in Texas. Republicans in the statehouse are chafing at moves by municipal governments in large cities and are crying foul.

New Texas Governor Adds To Tension Between State, City Governments

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It's Back To The Future For E-Cigarette Ads, At Least For Now

The FDA is expected to determine whether e-cigarettes should be regulated like tobacco products later this month. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

The Two-Way

It's Back To The Future For E-Cigarette Ads, At Least For Now

The federal government does not currently regulate the sales and marketing of electronic cigarettes. That may change soon, but in the meantime, the lack of regulation means manufacturers have tremendous leeway over how they advertise their products.

Listen To Melissa Block's Coverage Of The E-cigarette Industry

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Science: For Good Or Evil?

A warning to us all Universal/The Kobal Collection hide caption

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Universal/The Kobal Collection

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Science: For Good Or Evil?

The fear of science run amok has been with us as long as the practice itself. But who decides what are the reasonable ethical boundaries for science? Commentator Marcelo Gleiser grabs ahold of this question and advises that blindly placing constraints on certain types of inquiry will not save us from Pandora's Box. We have to be smarter than that.

Toward A New View of Law and Society: Complexity And Power In The Legal System

The United States Supreme Court: a temple to complexity and self-reinforcing feedback loops? Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Toward A New View of Law and Society: Complexity And Power In The Legal System

The symbiosis between law and power is fractal in nature and can be found at all levels of hierarchy in the legal system. Laws enable new strategy spaces for actors within the system. Creative actors seek adjacent-possible actions within the prevailing legal environment to achieve their desired ends.

Flame Retardants From Furniture Found In Household Dust

Scientists say that the best way to reduce a person's contact with the flame retardant chemicals in sofas and other furniture is to vacuum more. SINAN DONMEZ/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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SINAN DONMEZ/iStockphoto.com

Shots - Health News

Flame Retardants From Furniture Found In Household Dust

The chemicals are meant to prevent a sofa from going up in flames, but there are concerns about health risks. With efforts to ban the chemicals moving slowly, the solution for now may be a simple vacuum cleaner.

Uniform: Not Just A Word, For Public Health Service's Commissioned Corps

Service members model the Modified Service Dress Blue Sweater. The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service requires that members wear either the sweater or a windbreaker. Commissioned Corps of The U.S. Public Health Service hide caption

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Commissioned Corps of The U.S. Public Health Service

The Two-Way

Uniform: Not Just A Word, For Public Health Service's Commissioned Corps

A heat wave is no reason to lower the uniform standards of the Commissioned Corps of The U.S. Public Health Service, which requires its members to "wear either the sweater or windbreaker jacket when outdoors," according to a new bulletin.