Anchorage Daily News -- Living

Hometown U: Nitrogen is a key to unlocking nature's back stories

Hometown U (Kathleen McCoy) — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:00:00 AKDT

High school chemistry class was probably the last time you heard anyone mention the periodic table of elements, which lists 118 building blocks for everything in nature. Nitrogen is one…

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1 winning ticket sold in Fla. on Powerball

The Associated Press () — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:30:46 AKDT

A lottery official says 1 winning ticket has been sold in Florida for a record Powerball jackpot of more than $590 million.

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Will Boy Scouts accept gay youths? Vote is imminent

AP National Writer (DAVID CRARY) — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:48:38 AKDT

With its ranks deeply divided, the Boy Scouts of America is asking its local leaders from across the country to decide whether its contentious membership policy should be overhauled so…

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Molly Rettig: Barrow: Spring is in the air and in the ice

Alaska Science (Molly Rettig) — Sat, 18 May 2013 22:00:00 AKDT

On the 5-mile snowmachine ride to Point Barrow, we saw several fresh polar bear tracks the size of dinner plates, a pile of whalebones from last year and a 3-foot-wide…

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Record Powerball jackpot inspires office pools

Associated Press (BARBARA RODRIGUEZ) — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:11:44 AKDT

In workplaces across the nation, Americans are inviting their colleagues to chip in $2 for a Powerball ticket and a shared daydream.

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Camp means community service for many young people

Associated Press (LEANNE ITALIE) — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:02:21 AKDT

At 14, Tyler Cohen had never been out of the country or traveled without his Long Island family when he found himself in Costa Rica on a monthlong service trip…

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NYers furious over photos taken through windows

Associated Press (JAKE PEARSON) — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:17:33 AKDT

In one photo, a woman is on all fours, presumably picking something up, her posterior pressed against a glass window. Another photo shows a couple in bathrobes, their feet touching…

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Modest billionaire makes her way onto philanthropic stage

The New York Times (PETER LATTMAN and CLAIRE CAIN MILLER) — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:35:31 AKDT

Less than two years after Steve Jobs' death, Laurene Powell Jobs is becoming somewhat less private. She has tiptoed into the public sphere, pushing her agenda in education as well…

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Wayne & Wanda: Future mom-in-law takes over wedding planning

Anchorage () — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:00:00 AKDT

My girlfriend and I got engaged last week, and her mom is already starting to tell us how we should handle our wedding: when we should get married, who we…

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Hello muddah? Not everyone loved sleepaway camp

Associated Press (BETH J. HARPAZ) — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:07:19 AKDT

When the school year ends a few weeks from now, millions of kids will head off to sleepaway camp for a summer filled with color wars, kayaking and bunk life.

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Child mental health disorders rising, cost society $247 billion annually

McClatchy Washington Bureau (Tony Pugh) — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:14:11 AKDT

Up to one in five American youngsters ? some 7 million to 12 million by one estimate ? experience a mental health disorder each year, according to a new report…

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World's fish have been moving to cooler waters for decades, study finds

The Washington Post (Lenny Bernstein) — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:01:52 AKDT

Fish and other sea life have been heading toward the Earth's poles for more than three decades, a mass migration to cooler waters that provides more evidence of a rapidly…

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Friday is Bike to Work day

Anchorage Daily News / adn.com () — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:44:28 AKDT

Friday is bike-to-work day nationwide, including in Anchorage, with special events scheduled to encourage people to commute on two wheels.

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Dogs give comfort, and controversy, in court

Associated Press (SUE MANNING) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:15:16 AKDT

The twins were 7, shy and scared. Talking was tough and describing what happened nearly impossible.

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Beach litter mars U.S. – and world's – coastlines

McClatchy Washington Bureau (Erika Bolstad) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:24:51 AKDT

It�s a beach bummer. Shorelines worldwide are clogged with trash, so much so that during their annual cleanup last year, volunteers with the Ocean Conservancy picked up refuse that weighed…

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Led by youth, Americans are driving less

The New York Times (JOHN SCHWARTZ) — Tue, 14 May 2013 08:44:21 AKDT

For six decades, Americans have tended to drive more every year. But in the middle of the last decade, the number of miles driven -- both overall and per capita…

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US government files morning-after pill appeal

Associated Press (COLLEEN LONG) — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:02:27 AKDT

The Obama administration on Monday filed a last-minute appeal to delay the sale of the morning-after contraceptive pill to girls of any age without a prescription.

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Scientists track giant whales by their earthshaking calls

The Seattle Times (Sandi Doughton) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:49:43 AKDT

SEATTLE -- At first, the whale chatter was just a nuisance.

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Historic house proposed as lodging for lieutenant governor

Associated Press (BECKY BOHRER) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:21:21 AKDT

An historic house in downtown Juneau that has undergone more than $500,000 in recent renovations could one day serve as a home-away-from-home for Alaska's lieutenant governor.

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Voices of Alaskans: Winners of the 2013 UAA/ADN Creative Writing Contest

Anchorage () — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:26:23 AKDT

Winners in this year' s statewide Creative Writing Contest came from a wide range of Alaska towns, backgrounds and ages. Here they are.

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Hometown U: Team tries to shine a light on a perplexing pole problem

Hometown U (Kathleen McCoy) — Sat, 11 May 2013 21:00:00 AKDT

We rarely give thought to all the things that work right. The wheels on the car that don't fall off. The glass door that slides open as we approach. The…

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Spacewalking repair halts station leak - for now

AP Aerospace Writer (MARCIA DUNN) — Sat, 11 May 2013 17:04:48 AKDT

Astronauts making a rare, hastily planned spacewalk replaced a pump outside the International Space Station on Saturday in hopes of plugging a serious ammonia leak.

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Molly Rettig: Using climate data to predict snow in Alaska

Alaska Science (Molly Rettig) — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:00:00 AKDT

In Alaska, our lives revolve around the weather. When it comes to predicting conditions like temperature, snow and rain, the best glimpse into the future comes from climate models.

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Government can’t find room for America’s wild horses

McClatchy Washington Bureau (Sean Cockerham) — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:06:38 AKDT

Wild horses, descended from the steeds of Spanish explorers, Native Americans, U.S. cavalry and ranch strays, are being offered for auction this weekend in Fort Worth, Texas, as part of…

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Most popular baby names for 2012

The Associated Press () — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:37:56 AKDT

Top baby names for girls in 2012…

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Indian country torn over gay marriage

McClatchy Washington Bureau (Rob Hotakainen) — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:56:18 AKDT

For Heather Purser, the first pang came more than a decade ago as she gathered clams on Puget Sound?s Chico Beach, watching her cousin?s new husband assist with the digging.

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King, Messiah: New baby names suggest high hopes

Associated Press (STEPHEN OHLEMACHER) — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:38:00 AKDT

Talk about high expectations for a newborn: King and Messiah are among the fastest-rising baby names for American boys.

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Soldier says she faced harassment over Muslim name

Associated Press (MICHAEL BIESECKER) — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:54:24 AKDT

Sgt. 1st Class Naida Hosan is not a Muslim - she's a Catholic. But her name sounded Islamic to fellow U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and they would taunt her, calling…

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Patent filing claims solar energy ‘breakthrough’

McClatchy Washington Bureau (Greg Gordon) — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:09:46 AKDT

In a U.S. patent application, a little-known Maryland inventor claims a stunning solar energy breakthrough that promises to end the planet�s reliance on fossil fuels at a fraction of the…

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Antlers aweigh! Alaska moose sails off with USS Anchorage

mdunham@adn.com (MIKE DUNHAM) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:11:19 AKDT

Anchorage resident Lex Patten donated a shoulder mount moose head to the USS Anchorage before its departure from the city on Monday.

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Gay military couple reaches out during USS Anchorage visit

Associated Press (MARK THIESSEN) — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:01:18 AKDT

It was the little gestures that put Navy Lt. Gary Ross at ease in the weeks after the repeal of the military's ban on openly gay service members.

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Park Strip tree symbolizes remembrance for victims of crime

mtheriault@adn.com (MICHELLE THERIAULT BOOTS) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:19:45 AKDT

Taylor Winston tied a black ribbon to a chokecherry tree on the Park Strip Monday, remembering a baby and a case lost.

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Researchers say they've found current words that predate modern languages

The Washington Post (David Brown) — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:43:40 AKDT

A team of researchers has come up with a list of two dozen "ultraconserved words" that have survived 150 centuries. It includes some predictable entries: "mother," "not," "what," "to hear"

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Survey: Moms lead way in discussing family finance

AP Personal Finance Writer (MARK JEWELL) — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:17:45 AKDT

Who's better at getting a family to talk about money matters, mom or dad? Taking sides probably won't make for a harmonious Mother's Day celebration on Sunday.

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East about to be overrun by billions of cicadas

AP Science Writer (SETH BORENSTEIN) — Mon, 06 May 2013 19:22:29 AKDT

Any day now, billions of cicadas with bulging red eyes will crawl out of the earth after 17 years underground and overrun the East Coast. The insects will arrive in…

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70 years ago this month, the Battle of Attu raged

mdunham@adn.com (MIKE DUNHAM) — Mon, 06 May 2013 09:58:16 AKDT

Cpl. Joe Sasser was asleep in his pup tent on a cold, soggy morning 70 years ago when the alarm sounded.

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Juneau theater director brings drama to Kodiak classrooms

The Associated Press () — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:58:47 AKDT

Students in Kodiak have learned how to use drama to improve their writing skills.

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Kodiak woman bears authorship of kids' book

Kodiak Daily Mirror (NICOLE KLAUSS) — Mon, 06 May 2013 07:21:15 AKDT

Kodiak resident Stacy Studebaker took an idea in hibernation for nearly two decades and turned it into a children's book.

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Molly Rettig: Seismic modeling: Using supercomputers to study quakes

Alaska Science (Molly Rettig) — Sat, 04 May 2013 22:00:00 AKDT

Red and blue waves triggered by a magnitude 4.6 earthquake rippled outward from the Anchorage area and fizzled out after 45 seconds. Except in Cook Inlet basin, where the waves…

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Hometown U: In Class of 2013, A.A. and nursing degrees are most popular

() — Sat, 04 May 2013 19:29:37 AKDT

Sunday's UAA Commencement ceremony at the Sullivan Arena is the obvious pinnacle of an academic year and a personal achievement for graduates. Working totals for today are 2,315 graduates accepting…

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Gun shows offer a lot more than firearms

The Washington Post (Michael S. Rosenwald) — Fri, 03 May 2013 08:04:13 AKDT

As the number of gun shows has ballooned to more than 5,000 a year and the number of people attending them has soared to an estimated 25 million to 30…

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Wayne and Wanda: New boyfriend sure has had a lot of girlfriends

Anchorage () — Fri, 03 May 2013 07:34:16 AKDT

I started dating a new guy recently. We've been taking it slow, but he hasn't always taken that approach. He's hooked up with a lot of women.

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For sand tiger sharks, a deadly, cannibalistic battle inside the womb

The Washington Post (JULIET EILPERIN) — Wed, 01 May 2013 23:07:10 AKDT

It's a tough world from the moment of conception for a sand tiger shark. When a female gets pregnant, it's usually with multiple offspring of several different male sharks. As…

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DNA research points to new insight into cancers

The New York Times (GINA KOLATA) — Wed, 01 May 2013 22:47:58 AKDT

(Scientists have discovered that the most dangerous cancer of the uterine lining closely resembles the worst ovarian and breast cancers, providing the most telling evidence yet that cancer will increasingly…

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Earth's greenhouse gas approaches milestone level

Los Angeles Times (Geoffrey Mohan) — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:23:42 AKDT

The ratio of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere is flirting with 400 parts per million, a level last seen 2.5 million to 5 million years ago.

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Feral pigs: One man's game is another's marauding pest

The New York Times (ERICA GOODE) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:01:57 AKDT

Efforts to contain feral swine have been hampered by the lack of a national policy, the slowness of states and hunters to recognize the problem, and bickering between agencies about…

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Molly Rettig: UAF team prepares for 2014 rocket launch

Alaska Scienceby Molly Rettig (Molly Rettig) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 21:00:00 AKDT

On a clear, cold night two winters ago in Fort Yukon, Carl Andersen watched a rocket he helped design pierce the upper atmosphere.

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Hometown U: Electronic water sales in Chile are examples of experimental economics

Hometown U (Kathleen McCoy) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 21:00:00 AKDT

After living through the unintentional financial "experiments" that pumped up the U.S. housing market in the early 2000s, only to smash it like a melon on pavement by 2007, you…

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Hitler's food taster tells of poisoning fears

Associated Press (KIRSTEN GRIESHABER) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:42:35 AKDT

They were feasts of sublime asparagus - laced with fear. And for more than half a century, Margot Woelk kept her secret hidden from the world, even from her husband.

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Wayne and Wanda: New squeeze displeased with a friendly former flame

() — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:00:00 AKDT

I dated my ex-girlfriend for several years. We ended things on good terms. Breakups are hard but we both knew it was the right thing to do. We've stayed friends.

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Is it ever OK to compliment appearance on the job?

Associated Press (LEANNE ITALIE) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:23:35 AKDT

When Lisa Parker was new to corporate coaching, a senior-level colleague she respected brought her in as his No. 2 for a series of training seminars. Time and time again,

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Juneau man featured in anti-smoking campaign

Juneau Empire (MELISSA GRIFFITHS) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:01:23 AKDT

"Cancer's not the worst thing you can get," warned Michael George Patterson, a Juneau resident who has become a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in their…

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Wayne and Wanda: What happened to postponing sex until marriage?

Anchorage () — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 08:01:10 AKDT

"Somehow I just think we are always putting the 'cart before the horse'. Wasn't there a time when lots of people built a relationship, committed to one another, married and…

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Hometown U: UAA debate team takes on Harvard over gun rights

Hometown U (Kathleen McCoy) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:13:15 AKDT

About this time last spring, orators from UAA and Stanford University matched wits and fiery words in a debate over whether hate crimes warrant extra punishment. Get ready for round…

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Ned Rozell: Scientists aim to explain northland's big booms

Alaska Science (Ned Rozell) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:00:00 AKDT

Near a small village in Russia, Marina Ivanova stepped into cross-country skis and kicked toward a hole in the snow. The meteorite specialist with the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History…

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Anchorage couple's extreme trek goes from Bellingham to Kotzebue

mdunham@adn.com (MIKE DUNHAM) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:43:30 AKDT

At this time last year Caroline Van Hemert and Pat Farrell were rowing homemade boats up Alaska's Inside Passage, en route from Bellingham, Wash., to their cabin near Haines.

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Scientist tries to unravel mystery of Coral Sea's ghostly island

The Washington Post (Joel Achenbach) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:20:08 AKDT

A research ship cruised through the Coral Sea, east of Australia, bearing down on Sandy Island. But when the ship reached the place where the island should have been, the…

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Ned Rozell: Cold comfort: the years without a summer

() — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 21:00:00 AKDT

An April snowstorm whirling outside my window today seems to be announcing the postponement of spring. As I sit here watching the show, it makes me think back to the…

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Hometown U: Chevak and city professors bring teacher education home

() — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 21:00:32 AKDT

Seventy percent of Alaska's schoolteachers come from out of state. It's not hard to imagine the benefits of teachers rising right out of the villages, where they know, live and…

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Cultural treasures from the Cold War

mdunham@adn.com (MIKE DUNHAM) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 21:00:00 AKDT

Civilian communication in Alaska -- the phone call to Outside, was only a side benefit of the military's White Alice Communications System.

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