No elegant technical fixes for distracted driving

NEW YORK (AP) - When does a smartphone make you dumb? When you're driving. Dialing or texting on a phone is a proven distraction when you're behind the wheel. And as "smart" as today's phones are, they can't compensate for human folly. Phone makers and software developers are making a valiant effort to create elegant technical solutions, but, try as they might, they've yet to solve the problem of distracted driving. A new survey, released ...

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• 'GREEN ACRES' CHARACTER ACTOR FRANK CADY DIES: LOS ANGELES (AP) - Frank Cady, a character actor best known as the general-store owner on the sitcom "Green Acres," has died. He was 96.

Cost to lunch with Warren Buffett: $3.5 million

Protesters on third day strike in campaign office

Odd News

WOMAN'S LOUD PRAISE AND CURSES LEAD TO CHARGES: BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee woman says she was just praising the Lord, although at high volume, when she received a citation accusing her of violating the city's noise ordinance. She later was arrested by police on a disorderly conduct charge.

Aide could face charge in Edwards sex tape case

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Sleepwalking used as defense in attempted robbery

Officials fret about creatures on tsunami dock that drifted across Pacific Ocean

Vet gave show errant photo by 'mistake'

Suicides are surging among US troops

House passes homeland security spending bill

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MILEY CYRUS, LIAM HEMSWORTH ARE ENGAGED: NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - It turns out "The Last Song" was only the beginning for Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth.

Teen guilty in texting-while-driving crash

HAVERHILL, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts teenager was sentenced Wednesday to spend a year in jail for a fatal traffic accident that happened while he was texting. Aaron Deveau of Haverhill was sentenced to 2 ½ years behind bars with a year to serve and the remainder suspended for the February 2011 crash that took the life ...

Lake Tahoe water level hits likely annual high

RENO, Nev. (AP) - The water level of Lake Tahoe hit what could be its high mark for the year after a dry winter and scant spring runoff. A spattering of rain and snow early in the week nudged it a bit, and the lake's level was measured Tuesday at 6,227.66 feet above sea level - the highest it's likely to get ...

Nation's unions lost big in the Wisconsin showdown over collective bargaining

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NYC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADOPTS ALL-VEGETARIAN MENU: NEW YORK (AP) - A New York City elementary school has adopted an all-vegetarian menu, serving kids tofu wraps and veggie chili.

Legal tiff settled over Chicago parking meters

US assessing reported Syrian chemical use

Army amputee completes air assault school

Man arrested for letting son, 9, drive Ferrari

Pro-gun Native American billboard draws criticism

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SOME LOSING JOBS AMID ALLEGED NEV. PATIENT DUMPING: CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - Two staff members who violated discharge policies at a Las Vegas psychiatric hospital were fired Monday and three others are being disciplined following an investigation into busing patients to other states, the governor's office and agency officials said Monday.

Lawyer: Former ricin suspect's home is unlivable

1st female Iraq war resister to be court-martialed

Abortion trial stirs debate on when life ends

Boston suspect's defense team gets major boost

Army says no to more tanks, but Congress insists on them

WASHINGTON (AP) - Built to dominate the enemy in combat, the Army's hulking Abrams tank is proving equally hard to beat in a budget battle.

Dozens of air shows cancel without military jets due to federal budget cuts

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Dozens of air shows that draw tens of thousands of people and generate millions of dollars for local economies have been cancelled this year after the military grounded its jet and demonstration teams because of automatic federal budget cuts.

A new front for gun background checks

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - After struggling to sway both state and federal lawmakers, proponents of expanding background checks for gun sales are now exploring whether they will have more success by taking the issue directly to voters.

Man charged in suspicious letters case

BRANDON, Miss. (AP) - The arrest of a 41-year-old Mississippi martial arts instructor in a case of poison-laced letters sent to President Barack Obama and others capped a week in which investigators initially zeroed in on a rival of James Everett Dutschke, then decided they had the wrong man.