Rising higher by the day just south of the U.S. border, the towers known as New City would draw little notice in Manhattan or Mexico City or even nearby San Diego. But amid the small and tightly packed houses that hug the border, they're a surprising sight.   GROWING UP - The New City development in Tijuana, Mexico, proposes seven towers with swimming pools, tennis courts and an 11-foot wall surrounding the site. CNS Photo by ... [full story]

In the United States, blacks con­victed of kill­ing whites are not only more likely than oth­er kill­ers to get a death sen­tence—they’re al­so like­li­er to ac­tu­ally be ex­e­cut­ed, a new study sug­gests.The chances of be­ing con­demned and of be­ing put to death are quite dif­fer­ent, as “less than 10 per­cent of those giv­en the death sen­tence ev­er get ex­e­cut­ed,” said Da­vid Ja­cobs, co-author of the study. Most of the oth­ers have their sen­tences over­turned on ... [full story]

  Ovarian cancer usually occurs in women over age 50, but it can also affect younger women. The American Cancer Society recommends annual pelvic exams for all women over age 40 to increase the chances of early detection.  [full story]

Q: We are just moving in and haven't had the chance to furnish our outdoor porch. It's covered, so I'm thinking about just taking out some of the living room furniture we don't need. My husband thinks I've lost my mind, that it will look like some tacky roadside shack with the old sofa on the porch (and a car carcass in the yard). What do you think? A: I think you need to demonstrate ... [full story]

Q: Our son and daughter-in-law have been married almost 11 years and have two wonderful grandchildren for us to spoil. We have recently become aware from our son's comments their marriage is on the rocks. His wife has threatened divorce. If this should happen, it would break our hearts. Should we get involved and take sides? A: No, no, no! As the old saying goes, "After the curtains go down, you don't know what's going ... [full story]

I recently came across an account of a new museum opening in Amsterdam devoted solely to handbags. The Museum of Bags and Purses has an inventory of more than 3,500 bags, vintage items that illustrate the history of the woman's purse in Western culture. This got me to thinking about other similarly small, specific museums in this country that would be of particular interest to collectors. Here are a few: BARBED WIRE More diverse and ... [full story]

Why does anyone find it weird that after 10 months in her new job as CBS anchor Katie Couric publicly reveals she's had doubts about taking it? Most people expected it a lot sooner. Maybe not in a major magazine piece, but certainly we anticipated that she would be expressing those doubts in private to her closest confidants. That's the way the world works. People take jobs every day and then regret them the first ... [full story]

Job-seekers may discover that their "perfect" job isn't so ideal. Approximately 25 percent of workers regret accepting a new position within the first year, according to an estimate by the global outplacement agency Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. The agency recommends leaving the position sooner rather than later if the employee is unhappy and remorseful. "There is nothing to gain by staying in a position you regret taking, but there is a lot to lose," ... [full story]

The Bentley Arnage T reminds me of a lovely, old English manor that has been updated with modern plumbing and appliances.   ARNAGE T - The $250,000 Arnage T is a reward for hard work, but not always by people who need to stand at the top of the mountain and shout 'Look at me!' Bentley says. CNS Photo.    CONTINENTAL GT - The Continental GT is a gorgeous 12-cylinder model that went on sale in 2003. CNS ... [full story]

Look, on the horizon! Is that a bird ... a plane ... or perhaps the final comics crisis? Is this Armageddon for artists, Gotterdammerung for graphic novelists?   GRAPHICS AND CULTURE - Graphic novels -- essentially comic books with an extended narrative -- are continuing to gain fans, and respectability. CNS Photo by Laura Embry. In the 20th century, comic books endured congressional hearings and parental condemnation. The industry, like Plastic Man, always bounced back. The 21st ... [full story]