Uptick in Mass Murders Could Be Linked to Economy

Volunteers also recover books, Utah map at recycling site

(NEWSER) - Authorities are poring over papers belonging to Josh Powell that were found at a recycling center over the weekend, along with books and a map of Utah. Volunteers sifted through more than 10 tons of paper to find items that Powell had dropped off the day before blowing himself up along with his two sons, the AP reports. Among the papers is what the sheriff's office calls a "testament" with Powell's name on it, although authorities did not elaborate on what it contains. More»

Incest images found on Josh Powell's computer

(NEWSER) - When a social worker brought Josh Powell's sons for their final, deadly visit, she heard Powell tell the two excited little boys he had a "big surprise" for them—so they rushed into his home, where he quickly killed them. "He caught my eye, his shoulders were slumped. He had a sheepish look," social worker Elizabeth Griffin-Hall told 20/20 . "He just shrugged his shoulders and slammed the door." Once inside, Powell attacked the boys with an ax and torched 10 gallons of gasoline he had purchased to blow up his Washington state home, say authorities. In other disturbing developments in the case, officials have revealed that images of animated characters engaging in incest were discovered on Powell's computer, reports AP . More»

But most remain upbeat about their future: Pew survey

(NEWSER) - The economy is doing a number on those aged 18 to 34, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center :

• Half say they have taken a job they didn't want.
• More than a third have gone back to school because of the job market.
• Nearly a quarter have taken unpaid work to gain experience.
• About a quarter have moved back in with the folks.
• More than 1 in 5 have postponed having a baby, and about the same number have put off getting married.

Danny Chen appeared to have killed himself

(NEWSER) - Eight US soldiers have been charged in the death of Danny Chen, a 19-year-old private who appeared to have fatally shot himself Oct. 3 in a guard tower in Kandahar, the Washington Post reports. It’s unclear if the soldiers have been charged with actually killing him, or of driving him to commit suicide—one military official told his family in October that fellow soldiers had berated him with ethnic slurs and physically abused him. The charges leveled include dereliction of duty, making a false statement, assault, negligent homicide, and reckless endangerment. More»

Forecast sees it at 8.6% at end of 2012

(NEWSER) - If President Obama were hoping for a quick election-year turnaround in the jobless rate, the Federal Reserve burst his bubble today. The Fed projected unemployment will be at 8.6% at the end of 2012, not much better than the 9.1% registered in September of this year, reports the Wall Street Journal . The projections don't get remarkably better after that: The Fed sees the rate at 8% by the end of 2013 and 7.7% the following year. More»