Jillian Weinberger

Scientists have long wondered why humans are the only species that cries for emotional reasons. It turns out that our tears may convey much more than just sadness, grief or anger. In a new study, scientists have proved that more complicated chemical reactions may be at play, like subduing male arousal.

As one of his final acts in office, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson says he will pardon the man known as "Billy the Kid," delivering one of America’s best known criminals the pardon he had anticipated for much of his life. The move comes a mere 130 years after the gunslinger’s death. We speak with author/historian Mark Lee Gardener, and discuss why Richardson might want to make such a public pardon to a historical criminal, and ask why the prospect of a pardon is causing such a stir.

As one of his final acts in office, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson says he will pardon the man known as "Billy the Kid," delivering one of America’s best known criminals the pardon he had anticipated for much of his life. The move comes a mere 130 years after the gunslinger’s death. We speak with author/historian Mark Lee Gardener, and discuss why Richardson might want to make such a public pardon to a historical criminal, and ask why the prospect of a pardon is causing such a stir.

We’ve been reporting on the devastating East Coast snowstorms all week, hearing your stories and seeing your photos. Today we take a look at how the blizzard has affected post-holiday travel. Yesterday, hundreds of passengers bound for Vancouver sat on the tarmac at JFK Airport in New York for over 11 hours — and that’s not the only horror story circulating between airline terminals.

We've been covering blizzard stories all this week, as well as the aftereffects that come with them. Boston got more than 18 inches of snow on Sunday night, which kicked off a post-blizzard Boston-area neighborhood tradition: saving parking spaces. 

All this week, we're reflecting on the major issues of 2010. Immigration remained one of the biggest stories out of southwestern states, like Arizona. But immigration has become a serious issue even in smaller states along the East Coast, like Connecticut. Latino residents of East Haven, Connecticut, have filed a federal lawsuit against their local police department, claiming police have targeted Latinos with violence, harassment and intimidation.

2010 was a tumultuous year in Iraq. The U.S. announced the end of combat operations last August, but with some 50,000 troops still in-country, the future of the region remains difficult to predict. Caitlin Waters, proud Army wife and mother of two, has joined us over the past year to discuss her husband's service in Iraq. Caitlin joins us once again to reflect on the year in Iraq.

Snowstorms gave parts of the South a White Christmas, but for most of the East Coast, the blizzards only began on Sunday morning. North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland have all declared states of emergency. New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey suffered through white-out conditions yesterday, stifling travel the day after Christmas. This morning rail service up and down the coast has been canceled, along with thousands of flights, leaving huge numbers of travelers stranded.

It’s Christmas Eve morning in America, but on the other side of the world, in South Korea, the sun has already set on Christmas Eve, and "Santa Grandfather" — as he’s called in Korea — will be arriving soon with his deliveries.

A national holiday in South Korea, Christmas is traditionally a festive time for both children and grown-ups. But faced with the reality of growing North Korean aggression, we can’t help but wonder: is it Christmas as usual this year in South Korea? And how are Korean Americans coping?

It’s the season of giving, when we’re all told that it’s better to give than receive. But if so, why don’t we all give to charities? And what would motivate us to give more? These are questions that Stephanie Brown explores. Brown, an Associate Professor of Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University, has developed theories on why people give, and why they don’t.

"Tron: Legacy" arrives in theaters today, and The Takeaway takes a trip down memory lane to 1982, when the original "Tron" debuted in theaters. The movie featured some glimpses of the future yet to come — such as hackers and cyberwars — and some that have yet to materialize — lightcycles, and ubiquitous, glowing spandex suits. But looking back 28 years, what (if anything) did it get right about technology? And what does the second film hold in store?

A rocket carrying three satellites destined for Russia’s global positioning system, GLONASS, crashed into the Pacific Ocean yesterday. Russia has spent $2 billion developing its own equivalent to the U.S. GPS system and other countries are following suit, including China's COMPASS and the E.U.'s GALILEO. Why is it so important for countries like Russia to develop their own Global Positioning Systems? Why does Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin insist on his country's "satellite navigation sovereignty?"

We’ve learned a lot more about Julian Assange since he began publishing tens of thousands of classified documents on WikiLeaks last Sunday. Some believe he’s a hero. Others call him dangerous. Neither the U.S. nor Britain has charged Assange with anything, to date. But should Assange be prosecuted for releasing classified information? Is our legal system prepared to deal with what’s become one of the most notorious information-heists of the Internet Age?

Back in February, the Obama Administration approved a $1.25 billion court-ordered settlement for Black farmers who filed a class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture, claiming racial discrimination. Congress failed to approve these funds seven times since the settlement was announced.

But yesterday, after a long battle, Congress approved the 2010 Claims Settlement Act, which now awaits President Obama’s signature.

Thanksgiving approaches, a holiday full of yearly traditions for families across the country. As Americans begin to prepare turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberries for their Thanksgiving meals, we decided to take look at how our nation's capital celebrates this holiday. It seems that Washington lobbyists have their own special traditions in November, and the food we enjoy each Thanksgiving arrives infused with political influence. 

It's the day before Thanksgiving, and with the nation’s unemployment rate at 9.6 percent, many Americans are facing a difficult holiday season. Lyndon Dees, a listener from Stillwater, Oklahoma, knows what tough times are like. Lyndon lost his job in August, 2009, and has yet to find a new position.

Today marks the beginning of the end for the world’s favorite boy wizard franchise. Muggles of all ages lined up for midnight screenings of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I" last night.

But Harry’s fans are here to ensure that Potter Mania will never fade. College fans across the country have begun their own Quidditch leagues, competing with rival schools. Last week, 46 college teams from across the country competed in the Quidditch World Cup in New York.

New York Attorney General and Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo has brought a civil suit against former "Car Czar" Steven Rattner, accusing him of fraud in an attempt to win hundreds of millions in investments from the New York State pension system. Cuomo says he's continuing an investigation into possible criminal activity by Rattner, who has just agreed to pay $6.2 million to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to settle a separate civil lawsuit.

A new study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds that over 17 million American families — nearly 1 in 8 — went hungry at some point in the last year. The figures include as many as one million children. The family hardships of our current Great Recession inevitably recall stories of the Great Depression, an era when many Americans came of age scrimping and saving every penny and every last crumb. So how will the experiences of the children of the Great Recession compare to those who were kids during the Great Depression? 

For decades, cities across the country have tried a variety of approaches to reduce gang violence. Recently, Long Beach, California has implemented court-ordered civil injunctions, allowing law enforcement to arrest known gang members in particular neighborhoods for minor infractions. These infractions include wearing gang colors, carrying a cell phone in a car, or leaving the house after 8 p.m. Is it working?