James M. Buchanan, Economic Scholar, Dies at 93

James M. Buchanan, a scholar and author whose analyses of economic and political decision-making won the 1986 Nobel in economic sciences and shaped a generation of conservative thinking about deficits, taxes and the size of government, died on Wednesday in Blacksburg, Va. He was 93. Alex Tabarrok, the director of the Center for Study of Public Choice at George Mason University, which...

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Under Obama, a Skew Toward Male Appointees

Pete Souza/The White HousePresident Obama met with senior advisers in the Oval Office to discuss the fiscal cliff negotiations in late December. WASHINGTON — In an Oval Office meeting on Dec. 29, President Obama’s top advisers stood before him discussing the heated fiscal negotiations. A White House photo shows 10 of the aides. All are male. In the days since, Mr. Obama has put together a...

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James Franco Does His Best Justin Bieber

We realize there’s only so much time one can spend in a day watching new trailers, viral video clips, and shaky cell phone footage of people arguing on live television. This is why every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the videos that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention. Today:  RELATED: All We Want for Christmas Is Jimmy Fallon and Mariah Carey Singing to UsRemember when Justin...

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Bill Taylor to be awarded John A. Bonner Medal

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Visual effects supervisor Bill Taylor is being honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.The academy says Taylor will be awarded the John A. Bonner Medal of Commendation at the Scientific and Technical Awards banquet Feb. 9 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.The John A. Bonner Medal is named in honor of the late director of special projects at Warner Hollywood Studios....

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Gaps Seen in Therapy for Suicidal Teenagers

Most adolescents who plan or attempt suicide have already gotten at least some mental health treatment, raising questions about the effectiveness of current approaches to helping troubled teenagers, according to the largest in-depth analysis to date of suicidal behaviors in American teenagers. The study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found that 55 percent of suicidal teenagers had received...

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Shares Fall Again as Investors Remain Wary

Stocks fell Tuesday, retreating further from last week’s rally after the federal budget deal, as companies started to report quarterly results. In the wake of a 4.3 percent increase in the two sessions around the close of the budget negotiations, the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index has fallen, with investors finding few catalysts to extend the rally that took the index...

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Goal-Line Stands Shape Notre Dame Season

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesStopping Stanford's Stepfan Taylor (33) inside the 1-yard line in overtime was one of the biggest plays of the season for the Notre Dame defense. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Two series. Those are what defined Notre Dame’s defense in this season of resurgence, as the Irish fought to an undefeated regular season and the Bowl Championship Series national title game against Alabama...

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Year-end Wii U sales steady, says Nintendo chief

KYOTO (Reuters) – Nintendo Co Ltd‘s year-end sales of its Wii U games console were steady, though not as strong as when its Wii predecessor was first launched, the Japanese game maker’s top executive told Reuters on Monday.The company, which grew from making playing cards in the late 19th century into the blockbuster Super Mario video game series, is pinning its hopes on the Wii U after posting a...

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'Mary Poppins' to close on Broadway in the spring

NEW YORK (AP) — "Mary Poppins" is closing up its big umbrella on Broadway.An official close to the show's producers said Monday that the 6-year-old musical will end performances in March at the New Amsterdam Theatre and eventually be replaced by a musical adapted from the film "Aladdin."The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak before...

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Oil Sand Industry in Canada Tied to Higher Carcinogen Level

Todd Korol/ReutersAn oil sands mine Fort McMurray, Alberta. OTTAWA — The development of Alberta’s oil sands has increased levels of cancer-causing compounds in surrounding lakes well beyond natural levels, Canadian researchers reported in a study released on Monday. And they said the contamination covered a wider area than had previously been believed. For the study, financed by the Canadian...

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