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Research News
10:01 am
Wed February 6, 2013

Why You Love That Ikea Table, Even If It's Crooked

Credit iStockphoto.com
Building your own stuff boosts your feelings of pride and competence, and also signals to others that you are competent.

Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 10:51 am

Have you ever spent a couple of hours working on a craft project — or a presentation for work — and then fallen in love with what you've accomplished? Do the colors you've picked for your PowerPoint background pop so beautifully that you just have to sit back and admire your own genius?

If so, get in line: You're the latest person to fall victim to the Ikea Effect.

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Politics
9:20 am
Wed February 6, 2013

Medical Marijuana Supporters to Rally Wednesday in Frankfort

Credit Rae Hodge/Kentucky Public Radio
Perry Clark

FRANKFORT — Advocates of legalizing marijuana for medical uses in Kentucky are rallying Wednesday afternoon  in the Capitol Annex.

Sen. Perry Clark, a Democrat of Louisville, has introduced Senate Bill 11 into the state Senate. If passed the bill, known as the Gatewood Galbraith Medical Marijuana Memorial Act  would "establish a comprehensive system for medical marijuana in Kentucky." 

Clark said he expects that, in a conservative estimate, several hundred people could participate in the 1 p.m. rally.

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The Two-Way
9:15 am
Wed February 6, 2013

Reports: Postal Service Will Move To Halt Saturday Mail

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Letter carrier Raymond Hou delivering mail on his route in San Francisco (March 2010 file photo).

Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 3:57 pm

(We updated the top of this post at 10:37 a.m. ET.)

Calling it "absolutely necessary" if the U.S. Postal Service is going to stop losing billions of dollars a year and reach anything close to financial stability, Postmaster Gen. Patrick Donahoe confirmed Wednesday morning that USPS is moving to eliminate Saturday delivery of first-class mail.

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Environment
8:00 am
Wed February 6, 2013

New Greenhouse Gas Data Shows Little Change in Jefferson County Emissions

Credit Erica Peterson / WFPL

The Environmental Protection Agency has released the second year of data of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions, which it's congressionally-mandated to report.

Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, and are thought to be one of the primary drivers of climate change. The EPA has successfully argued that the gases are pollutants and pose a danger to human health.

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It's All Politics
7:52 am
Wed February 6, 2013

Viral Story About Free Wi-Fi Spotlights Mostly Hidden Policy War

Credit Jacquelyn Martin / AP
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski last year warned of a "war on Wi-Fi."

Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 12:48 pm

(Revised on 2/6/1013 at 12:28 pm ET to include FCC comment.)

In Washington, there's always one kind of alleged war or another against some group or idea — the war on women, the war on religion and the war on the Second Amendment come quickly to mind.

This week, many of us became aware of another supposed conflict we had never heard of: essentially, a war on Wi-Fi.

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The Two-Way
6:14 am
Wed February 6, 2013

5 Questions About Justice Department Memo On Targeted Killings

Originally published on Wed February 6, 2013 6:48 am

A confidential Justice Department memo obtained by NBC News outlines legal theories the Obama administration has used to justify killing American citizens abroad. Here are five key questions and answers about the document:

1) What is it?

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Politics
6:13 am
Wed February 6, 2013

Mitch McConnell On Many Most Wanted Lists

Credit U.S. Senate
Mitch McConnell

Mitch McConnell is a wanted man.

For months, the Democratic Super PAC Progress Kentucky has made McConnell’s defeat its sole priority. They’ve held multiple protests—like this political Christmas caroling—against McConnell at his home and offices in Louisville, Lexington and London, Ky.

“We think that people from you know both the far left and far right can agree that as a career politician, Mitch McConnell’s corruption is way over the top and we got to get a new senator and get him out of there,” said Shawn Reilly, who works for the organization.

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Politics
6:56 pm
Tue February 5, 2013

Democrats Halt Resolution Requesting Ethics Commission Be Given Subpoena Powers

After a 30-minute debate, the Louisville Metro Council’s government accountability committee put off a vote asking state lawmakers to give the city’s ethics commission subpoena power.

The non-binding measure had bipartisan support initially with leaders on both sides of the aisle saying it made common sense. But during discussion, Democrats raised concerns that state lawmakers could give the commission too much power and that the council should deliver a more specific proposal.

Councilman Jerry Miller, R-19, is chairman of the committee and filed the resolution. He says he was surprised by the decision to table to measure because no council members objected to the matter beforehand, adding Democrats have sent a troubling message.

"The non-partisan metro council of Lexington is supporting passage of a resolution, which urges passage of this. Our partisan council in Louisville seem to have issues and it’s troubling, but we are where we are," he says.

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Politics
5:15 pm
Tue February 5, 2013

Lawmakers Ready for Tax Reform Legislation, but Bill Unlikely This Session

Credit File photo
Jerry Abramson

Kentucky lawmakers seemed eager to dig into another tax reform bill this year, but the chair of the latest tax reform commission says reform isn't likely coming soon.

Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson—who chaired the commission—and Mary Lassiter, the secretary of the cabinet, addressed lawmakers on the budget committees about the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Tax Commission.

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Politics
4:43 pm
Tue February 5, 2013

Rapists Couldn't Seek Child Custody from Victims Under Kentucky House Bill

Credit Rae Hodge/Kentucky Public Radio
Dennis Keene, left

Women who produce children as a result of rape would not be obligated to share parental rights with their rapist under legislation filed Tuesday in the Kentucky House.

Kentucky, along with 34 other states, allows rapists to take their victims to court and seek these rights. 

Rep. Dennis Keene, who is sponsoring the bill, called the allowance a "loophole in Kentucky law." 

"I've got two daughters," said Keene, a Democrat from Wilder. "I wouldn't want any human being to go through that."

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