Latest News and Politics from the U.S. - Huffington Post (April 2011 Diet)

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When your grown-up kids drop by to visit, do they still come with bags of laundry? How often do they leave with bags of leftovers -- and maybe even a bit of cash -- alongside their neatly folded, clean clothes?According to a recent Reuters report, there are many Baby Boomer parents in this country who are supporting their adult kids in lots of ways, with moms being the go-to person 60 percent of the time when offspring run into economic problems. The report was based on an online survey in Florida conducted by a research firm called Kitchen's Group. They found that "of women with children over age 18, nine percent said they had adult children living back home for indefinite periods. Twelve percent were primarily responsible for their adult child or children's financial well-being and 31 percent said they had children who returned home, relied on them but expected to become independent."More...

Source: Boomers Supporting Boomerang Kids: A Positive Trend or Not?

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LAS VEGAS -- The resignation this week by U.S. Sen. John Ensign raised questions about what an ongoing Senate ethics probe has uncovered, while also muddling the field of candidates for congressional seats now held by the GOP headed into a key election year.The decision to step down marked an unexpected change of heart for the Nevada Republican who as recently as last month said he would remain in office until his planned retirement from politics because he had not violated ethics rules.More...

Source: John Ensign Resignation Timing Raises Questions

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In her new cookbook, The Family Dinner, Laurie David talks about the importance of families making a ritual of sitting down to dinner together, and how family dinners offer a great opportunity for meaningful discussions about the day's news.  "Dinner," she says, "is as much about digestible conversation as it is about delicious food."We couldn't agree more.  So HuffPost has joined with Laurie to launch a new feature we're calling HuffPost Family Dinner Downloads.  Every Friday afternoon, just in time for dinner, our editors highlight one of the most compelling news stories of the week -- stories that will spark a lively discussion among the whole family.  More...

Source: This Week's HuffPost Family Dinner Download: Holidays & Table Talk

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That moment -- the one where a person decides to throw caution to the wind and go after their passion -- can be tricky. Particularly when it comes to launching a small business -- knowing it's the right thing to do is one thing, but having a vision and plan to get there is another. Simply put, starting one's own business is a full plate of hard work.Knowing this reality didn't stop Bina Patel, principal and owner of Copper Kettles, one of Hoboken's latest Washington Street residents. We recently caught up to connect more about the story behind her success, clearly fueled by her passion. In the interview, Patel shares the story of leaving her advertising career and launching her own business, the decision behind opening its doors in Hoboken and the power of personal communities.More...

Source: New in the Neighborhood: Copper Kettles Brings a Bit of Home to Hoboken

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Text by Stacy A. Anderson, Associated PressWASHINGTON - Some 30,000 kids and their parents swarmed the White House grounds Monday for the annual tradition of rolling Easter eggs across the South Lawn, complete with games, storytelling and a visit from the Easter Bunny.More...

Source: Obamas Host Annual Easter Egg Roll (PHOTOS)

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Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is expected to announce the launch of a presidential exploratory committee for the next election cycle on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.According to National Journal, the conservative congressman will address the step toward a formal 2012 run in the key early primary state of Iowa.More...

Source: Ron Paul Presidential Exploratory Committee Expected To Launch

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One of the things that's a "thing" today is that people, driven by a Fox Nation story, are complaining about the Obama White House's failure to issue a proclamation about Easter. The White House, of course, hosted an Easter Egg Roll, and the president also hosted an Easter-themed prayer breakfast, at which he said this:

"I wanted to host this breakfast for a simple reason -- because as busy as we are, as many tasks as pile up, during this season, we are reminded that there's something about the resurrection -- something about the resurrection of our savior, Jesus Christ, that puts everything else in perspective.More...

Source: President Obama Didn't Do Enough To Celebrate Easter, Critics Say

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I recently met Manav Sachdeva Maasoom at a Chinese-Indian book reading in Manhattan (story) and he presented me with a copy of his beautiful hardback tribute to Emily Dickinson, Antonio Porchia, and Rabindranath Tagore that I did not have a chance to read until a lazy Sunday morning in Haiti.The Sufi's Garland is the perfect tome for a quiet morning. With the smell of fresh papayas fallen on the ground around me, sipping my strong Haitian coffee, with croissant on the side, I picked up this 104-page book of poetry. Manav, who now works for the U.N. in New York, began to write poems at the age of 11. These poems he wrote, inscribed, and compiled together on a trip of self discovery in Afghanistan a few years back.More...

Source: Exploring the World and Self, Poetically, Through The Sufi's Garland

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The Salt Lake Tribune today delves into the issue of whether former Utah Governor-slash-U.S. Ambassador to China-slash-potential GOP contender for the 2012 presidential nomination Jon Huntsman is wealthy or not. Their conclusion: yes, he is. And yet! Is he wealthy enough to do something like self-finance his run for the White House?  There, the answer is no. But either way, this is actually good news for Jon Huntsman.Here's the Tribune's analysis:More...

Source: Jon Huntsman Is Rich, But Not Rich Enough To Foolishly Self-Fund A Presidential Run

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By Daniel BurkeReligion News ServiceMore...

Source: Spotlight On Abortion Activist Makes Catholics Nervous