Houston All Smiles While US Economy Sinks

Charles Lane points out a surprising trend: Americans are driving less

(NEWSER) - When gas prices spiked in April, Americans reacted in a logical, yet surprising way: They drove less. It's a sign, writes Charles Lane of the Washington Post , that America's love affair with the car is on the rocks. Getting a license, for instance, isn't the "rite of passage" it used to be; only 28.7% of 16-year-olds got their licenses in 2010, down from 44.7% in 1988. Lane blames cell phones, which make "it easier for youngsters to stay in touch without actually, er, touching." More»

Marc and Beverly Ostrofsky have five daughters

(NEWSER) - Good thing he wrote a bestseller. Houston dad Marc Ostrofsky has tallied up his family's college costs, and "we’re looking at roughly $60,000 to $70,000 per child per year," he tells KHOU . "A total of about $1.5 million after tax dollars." Ostrofsky has five daughters and stepdaughters; the oldest just graduated Berklee School of Music, while the youngest is about to start at Boston University. More»

Verna McClain killed mother to 'adopt' her newborn, say police

(NEWSER) - The woman accused of shooting a young mother to death and snatching her 3-day-old boy is a Texas nurse who told police she was planning to "adopt" the baby as her own after suffering a miscarriage, reports AP . Verna McClain, 30, confessed to killing 28-year-old Kala Golden outside a pediatrician's office in Houston and will face capital murder charges. More»

Sure, policy affects things ... eventually

(NEWSER) - As gas prices rise, President Obama's approval rating falls , which makes sense, because those painful numbers at the pump are all his fault, right? Wrong, say oil experts and economists. The Washington Post breaks down their arguments:

• Policy: It definitely affects things, but it takes a long time for that to happen. Cars can take a decade to turn over, for instance, so tightening fuel efficiency rules doesn't kick in immediately. One expert notes that legislation George W. Bush signed in 2007 is helping stop the "current situation from getting worse."

Oil demand keeps drills humming in Gulf of Mexico

(NEWSER) - It's been almost two years since the Deepwater Horizon explosion, and deepwater drilling is back. With a year-long moratorium over, BP and other companies are intensifying their operations in the Gulf of Mexico, and production there will soon exceed its pre-accident highs, the New York Times reports. The practice is also expanding around the globe—including in Mexican and Cuban waters where the US cannot regulate it, but would surely be impacted by a spill. More»