CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-19 01:42:23 (11 comments, 10 reshares, 44 +1s)

Ron Poirier made his living at the Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune, and part of his job involved dumping barrels of chemicals on the grounds. Decades later, he realized that those chemicals contributed to deadly pollution on the base. Suffering from what would be terminal cancer, Poirier is a victim of that pollution, and his own guilt.

2013-05-18 14:36:24 (29 comments, 11 reshares, 71 +1s)

The odds of a single $2 ticket hitting the correct combination are about 1 in 175.2 million. That's slightly less likely than randomly drawing the name of one specific female in the United States: 1 in 157 million, according to the last census.

2013-05-18 01:34:36 (2 comments, 5 reshares, 30 +1s)

Two of the films competing for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival come from countries where censorship is a fact of creative life. Jia Zhangke, Chinese director of "A Touch of Sin," and Asghar Farhadi, the Iranian director of "The Past" talk about how such policies affect their filmmaking.

2013-05-17 15:13:47 (3 comments, 6 reshares, 32 +1s)

Thousands of teens and younger kids are now doing more than the usual crafts, sports and swimming at day and overnight camps, and through special summer programs every year. From nursing home visits to raising money for cancer research, more camps have built in community service over the last decade or so.

2013-05-17 10:51:21 (23 comments, 13 reshares, 31 +1s)

A photo exhibit called "The Neighbors" features images of residents of a glass-walled luxury apartment building in Manhattan who had no idea they were being photographed from across the street. They never consented to being subjects for the works of art that are now on display _ and for sale _ in a gallery. Read more here: http://apne.ws/12g8i63

2013-05-17 07:48:22 (3 comments, 9 reshares, 42 +1s)

Senior military officers are speaking about sexual assault in the military with increasing bluntness and expressions of regret. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called it a "crisis" in the ranks, and the Army chief of staff, Gen. Ray Odierno, says his service's efforts are "failing." Read more here: http://apne.ws/10UG4Bk

2013-05-17 01:41:14 (18 comments, 6 reshares, 41 +1s)

The issue of gun control has overshadowed school safety in the national discussion of how to prevent shootings like the one that killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School last year. But several families of the children who died are launching the Safe and Sound at Sandy Hook Initiative to help communities find ways to improve security plans at schools.

2013-05-16 17:42:43 (0 comments, 4 reshares, 12 +1s)

This week's collection includes a wildfire in Wisconsin, the elections in Pakistan, Cyclone Mahasen in Myanmar, a Ukrainian circus act and Mother's Day in Mexico.

2013-05-16 15:40:21 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 17 +1s)

Beckham started his career with Manchester United and also played for Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy, winning titles with all those clubs. He also spent time with AC Milan. Beckham has two more matches left at PSG _ against Brest on Saturday and at Lorient on May 26.

2013-05-16 08:30:38 (3 comments, 5 reshares, 36 +1s)

Recent studies and anecdotal reports suggest the vibrations and soothing rhythms of music, especially performed live in the hospital, might benefit preemies and other sick babies. Many insurers won't pay for music therapy because of doubts that it results in any lasting medical improvement.

2013-05-16 00:49:06 (9 comments, 36 reshares, 84 +1s)

Prominent critics say the American Psychiatric Association is out of control, turning common human problems into mental illnesses in a trend they say will just make the "pop-a-pill" culture worse.

2013-05-15 16:41:43 (7 comments, 2 reshares, 12 +1s)

"This is sickening. Twice now, in a matter of as many weeks, we've seen the very people charged with protecting victims of sexual assault being charged as perpetrators," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

2013-05-15 07:30:34 (2 comments, 4 reshares, 39 +1s)

The gathering provides Google Inc. with an opportunity to flex its technological muscle in front of a sold-out audience of engineers and entrepreneurs who develop applications and other features that can make smartphones and tablets more appealing.

2013-05-15 01:36:19 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 10 +1s)

In the wake of the Bangladesh factory collapse that killed more than 1,100 workers, more than a dozen international brands announced plans for a legally binding agreement to improve factory safety in Bangladesh. But major U.S. brands are not among them, and say they are instead working on their own plan.

2013-05-14 10:30:13 (13 comments, 10 reshares, 41 +1s)

The Oscar-winning actress and partner to Brad Pitt made the announcement in the form of an op-ed she authored for the New York Times under the headline, "My Medical Choice." She writes that between early February and late April she completed three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts.

2013-05-14 06:24:37 (2 comments, 5 reshares, 19 +1s)

The campaign is unusual because it represents cellphone companies warning against the dangers of their own products. After initially fighting laws against cellphone use while driving, companies have begun to embrace the language of the federal government's campaign against cellphone use by drivers.

2013-05-13 22:50:14 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 5 +1s)

In a country with the highest homicide rate in the world and where only a fraction of crimes are prosecuted, some victims' families say the police are literally getting away with murder.

2013-05-13 16:55:46 (13 comments, 5 reshares, 11 +1s)

The government has filed an appeal to delay unrestricted sales of the morning-after pill. The appeal was filed just before a noon deadline Monday. A Brooklyn judge says politics is behind efforts by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to block the unrestricted sale of the Plan B pill.

2013-05-13 10:42:32 (8 comments, 4 reshares, 12 +1s)

The house of Cleveland rape and kidnapping suspect Ariel Castro and what becomes of it will be a daily talking point for the Seymour community, as city officials deal with the irony of keeping the dreaded site of the women's imprisonment safe while neighbors almost uniformly want it torn down. The issue isn't a simple one.

2013-05-13 08:45:21 (6 comments, 6 reshares, 11 +1s)

To try to keep premiums low, some states are allowing insurers to charge patients a hefty share of the cost for expensive medications used to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other life-altering chronic diseases. Such "specialty drugs" can cost thousands of dollars a month, and in California, patients would pay up to 30 percent of the cost. For one widely used cancer drug, Gleevec, the patient could pay more than $2,000 for a month's supply, says the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

2013-05-12 15:19:49 (5 comments, 3 reshares, 11 +1s)

All is not well on TV's once dominant "American Idol," despite a shake-up at the beginning of this season that was supposed to rejuvenate the aging Fox talent competition. Instead, the behind-the-scenes-and-sometimes-in-front-of-the-scenes drama continues to cast a shadow over the series, right up to Thursday's coronation of "Idol's" 12th season champion.

2013-05-12 03:53:49 (7 comments, 6 reshares, 28 +1s)

Unsafe cars, coupled with the South American nation's often dangerous driving conditions, have resulted in a  Brazilian death rate from passenger car accidents that is nearly four times that of the United States, according to an Associated Press analysis of Brazilian Health Ministry data on deaths compared to the size of each country's car fleet.

2013-05-12 01:24:07 (34 comments, 6 reshares, 22 +1s)

In the Middle East, youth unemployment is expected to rise from 27.7 percent in 2011 to 30 percent in 2018, the International Labor Organization reported this week. In North Africa, a slight increase is expected, from 23.3 percent to 23.9 percent.

Economists say fixing the problem will require broad and deep changes, such as overhauling education, slashing bloated public sectors and encouraging entrepreneurship.

2013-05-11 15:32:53 (13 comments, 4 reshares, 25 +1s)

When O.J. Simpson comes to court on Monday, his 2008 conviction for armed robbery and kidnapping will be before a Nevada judge. Simpson is seeking freedom in what lawyers often call a "Hail Mary motion," a writ of habeas corpus. It claims he had such bad representation that his conviction should be reversed and a new trial ordered.

2013-05-11 09:14:54 (123 comments, 6 reshares, 30 +1s)

The Benghazi violence was heavily politicized from the start, occurring less than two months before President Barack Obama's re-election. Moreover, the secretary of state at the time was Hillary Rodham Clinton. The former senator and first lady infuriates many conservatives and ranks high in speculation about the Democrats' 2016 presidential nominee.

2013-05-11 00:54:51 (106 comments, 25 reshares, 76 +1s)

For the first time in 2 million years, levels of the chief greenhouse gas have hit 400 parts per million.

2013-05-10 18:31:27 (14 comments, 23 reshares, 93 +1s)

AP VIDEO: "No one heard me. It was so bad for me. I never dreamed I'd see the daylight again." For 17 days, the seamstress lay trapped in a dark basement pocket beneath thousands of tons of wreckage as temperatures outside climbed into the mid-90s F. She rationed food and water. She banged a pipe to attract attention. She was fast losing hope of ever making it out alive.

2013-05-10 09:01:14 (7 comments, 2 reshares, 15 +1s)

Why can't we be "friends?" As Mother's Day approaches, 1 in 3 moms are connected with their teens over Facebook, according to the social networking giant's review of how users self-identify. Read more here: http://apne.ws/11phTfV

2013-05-10 06:58:57 (1 comments, 15 reshares, 46 +1s)

Check out images of this eerie ghost town in Argentina that has resurfaced after a quarter century under water: http://apne.ws/10fcogd

2013-05-10 01:37:22 (12 comments, 17 reshares, 44 +1s)

In just a few hours, a global gang of criminals managed to withdraw $45 million in cash from ATMs in 27 countries. The money was then laundered through the purchase of luxury goods or shipped to the gang's leaders.

2013-05-09 16:50:13 (7 comments, 12 reshares, 40 +1s)

"When the system fails us, you have to become the system," says a 48-year-old film producer who is part of a self-dubbed "Mower Gang" that grooms neighborhood parks in financially troubled Detroit after they've finished their own yards.

2013-05-09 05:01:02 (9 comments, 15 reshares, 47 +1s)

Previous studies have suggested that fish oil capsules could lower heart risks in people with heart failure or who have already suffered a heart attack. The American Heart Association recommends them only for people who have high levels of fats called triglycerides in their blood.

2013-05-08 16:55:09 (4 comments, 4 reshares, 17 +1s)

"We are, in fact, in a crisis right now," the commander, Lt. Col. Jay Folds, wrote in an internal email obtained by The Associated Press and confirmed by the Air Force.

2013-05-08 07:57:58 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

The new test joins another one that recently came on the market. Both analyze multiple genes in a biopsy sample and give a score for aggressiveness, similar to tests used now for certain breast and colon cancers. Doctors say tests like these have the potential to curb a major problem in cancer care _ overtreatment.

2013-05-08 00:52:34 (4 comments, 7 reshares, 20 +1s)

In 2012, there were 3,374 cases of sexual assault reported by members of the military. But an anonymous survey of military personnel showed the number sexually assaulted could be as high as 26,000 - with many never reporting the incidents.

2013-05-07 15:12:07 (6 comments, 62 reshares, 159 +1s)

We've just released an updated version of AP's social media guidelines for employees, including new material on newsgathering when sources are dealing with dangerous or otherwise sensitive circumstances. This blog post links to the full guidelines.

2013-05-07 08:52:28 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 29 +1s)

Microsoft hoped to play a more prominent role in the growing mobile device market while still maintaining its dominance in PCs. But Windows 8's design, which emphasizes interactive tiles and touch controls, seems to have befuddled as many people as it has impressed.

2013-05-06 16:53:27 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

A troupe of street drummers got a shock when Helen Mirren, dressed as Queen Elizabeth II, emerged from a London theater to berate them for disrupting her show.

2013-05-06 08:08:53 (17 comments, 5 reshares, 29 +1s)

Men still will need a prescription to buy the blue, diamond-shaped pill on viagra.com, but they no longer have to face a pharmacist to get it filled. And for those who are bothered by Viagra's steep $25-a-pill price, Pfizer is offering three free pills with the first order and 30 percent off the second one.

2013-05-05 18:25:24 (32 comments, 7 reshares, 34 +1s)

Media critic Howard Kurtz, host of the CNN show "Reliable Sources," has apologized for a story on gay basketball player Jason Collins that he says was riddled with errors. Kurtz held a session on his show with two other media critics who sharply questioned his credibility. Besides his "sloppy and inexcusable" errors, Kurtz said, the story itself was insensitive and shouldn't have been written.

2013-05-05 05:08:19 (104 comments, 11 reshares, 65 +1s)

"Initial reports point to these explosions being a result of Israeli missiles that targeted the research center in Jamraya," SANA said. Israel has said it will not allow sophisticated weapons to flow from Syria to the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad and a heavily armed foe of the Jewish state.

2013-05-04 15:36:59 (15 comments, 9 reshares, 31 +1s)

Dr. Cora Breuner of the American Academy of Pediatrics said headlines about the age limit have prompted some families to broach the topic of safe sex. Even if parents don't bring it up, teens are hearing about it via social media.

2013-05-04 11:02:20 (75 comments, 12 reshares, 65 +1s)

The officials said the attack took place early Friday and was aimed at sophisticated "game-changing" weapons, but not chemical arms. One official said the target was a shipment of advanced, long-range ground-to-ground missiles but was not more specific.

2013-05-03 23:11:05 (2 comments, 7 reshares, 38 +1s)

The field of medical prosthetics is changing rapidly, benefiting patients from injured military members to victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. And now there's an app for that.

2013-05-03 08:09:12 (10 comments, 16 reshares, 47 +1s)

The death toll from the building collapse in Bangladesh has topped more than 500, making it the deadliest disaster in the country's $20 billion-a-year garment industry. Among the garment makers in the building were Phantom Apparels, Phantom Tac, Ether Tex, New Wave Style and New Wave Bottoms. Read more here: http://apne.ws/12v7R6S

2013-05-03 01:24:22 (3 comments, 4 reshares, 16 +1s)

It wasn't so long ago that predictions of dwindling amounts of fossil fuels were pushing oil and gas companies to explore alternative sources of energy. But huge advances in drilling and extraction technologies mean the world is "awash in hydrocarbons," as one expert puts it -- and that could mean a more acute threat to the environment.

2013-05-02 14:09:58 (30 comments, 12 reshares, 19 +1s)

Experts aren't sure what's behind the increase in the allergies. The CDC survey suggests that about 1 in 20 U.S. children have food allergies. That's a 50 percent increase from the late 1990s. For eczema and other skin allergies, it's 1 in 8 children, an increase of 69 percent.

2013-05-02 01:15:48 (1 comments, 4 reshares, 20 +1s)

Computer glitches on high-stakes standardized tests are causing districts in Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota and Oklahoma to reschedule testing. That frustrates both teachers and students, who worry about whether the scores will be valid and weeks of intense preparation derailed.

2013-05-01 17:35:30 (161 comments, 15 reshares, 24 +1s)

A 5-year-old boy accidentally shot his 2-year-old sister to death in rural southern Kentucky with a rifle he had received as a gift, authorities say.  

2013-05-01 15:41:21 (20 comments, 6 reshares, 37 +1s)

BREAKING: Boston police say three more suspects have been taken into custody in the marathon bombings.