News

• Thailand's prime minister has declared a state of emergency after antigovernment protests and intense violence have continued for days. — CNN
• Somali pirates have vowed revenge today for the death of three pirates killed by the US. They promise to kill US and French soldiers. — CNN
• The Obamas will host 30,000 people today for the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House. — ABC News
• A passenger landed a small plane in Florida after the pilot died in flight. — AP
• Officials say a woman jumped into the polar bear enclosure at the Berlin Zoo. She was bitten several times. — AP
• Hannah Montana topped the box office this weekend, bringing in $34 million in ticket sales. — BuzzSugar
• Economist Paul Krugman thinks Republicans have stopped having real policy debates. — New York Times

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This past weekend's Washington Post featured a quaint (yet lengthy) piece about a retired couple living the "simple life" in a quiet Texas suburb. Oh yeah, the retirees also happen to be former President and First Lady, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Bush.

The couple has settled into a nice routine at 10141 Daria Place in Preston Hollow. One recent dinner party went something like this:

The main dish was chicken potpie. George and Laura Bush left their cul-de-sac in the back of a dark sedan, exited through a Secret Service checkpoint and rode down streets bordered by lawn signs adorned with gigantic W's to welcome them home.

It had been a bad week for the country. President Obama spoke on television about the burdens he had inherited in office: anti-American sentiment, two wars, a recession. But it had been a good week at 10141 Daria Place. The Bushes shared stories over dinner about their return to Texas after eight years in Washington. They had improved their sprinkler system and hung custom-made green drapes. Neighbors had brought over homemade cookies and a potted houseplant.

That's got to be one heck of an adjustment, going from national security briefings to custom drapes deliberations. But the Bush's are transitioning just fine into their golden years, which also includes fundraising gigs for his $300 million presidential library.

Would you like to sit down to some chicken potpie with the new retirees?

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In January we learned that Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, would be taking a leave of absence for five months to focus on his health. Although Apple has continued to release new products with Apple's chief operating officer Timothy Cook at the helm, I still can't help but wonder how Steve is doing and what he's been up to.

With only two months left in Steve's medical leave, Apple insiders have revealed that although Tim Cook takes care of day to day duties at Apple's headquarters, Steve is still very much a part of company strategies and products from home. They also noted that Jobs stays busy reviewing products and was very involved in the development of the iPhone's latest OS user interface. And the best news? Apple is currently working on a new device that's about the size of a Kindle.

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The Obama family's new dog Bo, a six-month old Portuguese Water Dog sits in the White House. Bo is a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy and and his wife.

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While there's nothing cuter than the bonds between children and their critters, the Obama girls are mature enough to help raise the animal. Does your family have a pet or are you waiting until your kids are of a certain age?

After Navy snipers caught view of Somali pirates aiming an AK-47 at Captain Phillips, Navy sharpshooters came in and killed three of his captors rescuing the captain. President Obama personally approved the use of force by US Special Operations forces.

Phillips was taken hostage after pirates attacked his American cargo ship. The crew regained control of the vessel, but the pirates held the captain hostage on the life boat. After three US warships came within reach of the lifeboat, the Somali pirates threatened to kill Phillips. On Friday, he jumped out of the lifeboat, but was recaptured. He was finally rescued today.

To see video of the initial news conference, read more

This week we talked a lot about marriage. Vermont's legislature overrode the governor's veto to legalize gay marriage, and Washington DC pushed forward a law that would recognize legal same-sex marriages from other states.

Back on the straight marriage front (am I making a statement by calling it that?), one columnist said we should all be doing more of it, specifically those with kids. Froma Harrop wrote that "the seriousness of the legal bond between the parents — as well as from parent to child — helps foster a partnership in childrearing, even if that bond later dissolves in divorce."

But Colorado has just turned this whole debate on its head, by passing a law that allows any two unrelated adults to become a pair of "designated beneficiaries." What does that mean? Beneficiaried couples can inherit property without a will, make medical decisions for one another, sue for wrongful death, and enjoy other benefits of a legal partnership commonly known as marriage. So two gay, or straight, or non-romantically involved people can enter into one of these contracts all the same.

Would you rather see a total separation of legal unions and religious ones?

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