Today on CNN Newsroom
Romney, Ryan make U.S. religious history
It's a history-making ticket, and a sign of how the intersection between politics and religion in the United States has changed.
CNN's Josh Levs explains how in picking Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney charted new terrain.
Also, watch to see whether this is really the first major party ticket without a Protestant - and how many voters believe President Obama is Muslim.
Read Josh's full story here.
Your Fresh Start for 2011
As the end of the year approaches, many of you may be sitting by the lava lamp and writing down your resolutions for the new year:
Do you plan to get back into your "skinny jeans"?
Be more plugged in to social media... or less?
Quit smoking once and for all?
Manage stress better?
Drink less alcohol?
Make more time for your family, friends, loved ones?
Finally go after that master's degree you've been putting off?
Make a barbeque recipe to rival Uncle Jack's secret sauce?
Hone on your DIY skills to become a "Mister or Miss Fix-it"?
As you reflect on the days that have passed in 2010, and set the bar high for yourself, share your plans with us.
We want to hear not only what your goals are, but what your game plan is for achieving them.
How do you plan to keep the goal in mind, and not have it dissolve at the first whiff of a hot Krispy Kreme donut?
We'd like to help.
Your project could become the focus of a CNN Newsroom segment, complete with expert advice, and planning tips to help you and those inspired by you... to succeed.
So rather than spend the next 12 months ruminating about what you didn't achieve last year... plug-in and prepare for a fresh start and share your plan with CNN Newsroom.
Scam Alert: "Your Warranty Has Expired"
Beware of callers claiming your automobile warranty has expired. It's a ploy that could cost you thousands of dollars. The Federal Trade Commission has identified several outfits behind the phone calls, and taken steps to shut them down. CNN's Randi Kaye spoke with scam expert Christine Durst, CEO of Staffcentrix, about what consumers need to know about these types of underhanded practices.
Get A Free Car...If It Rains
A new 'sales pitch' may have some folks in Colorado doing a rain dance on Memorial Day.
A car dealership promises to refund the prices of any vehicle sold between Wednesday and yesterday–if it rains at least one-inch.
The dealer spoke to CNN's Fredricka Whitfield on his unique idea.
Jacqui's "Recession Garden"
From CNN Meteorologist Jacqui Jeras:
It’s been a few weeks since Master Gardener Walter Reeves helped me plant a "recession" garden. So far it has been fun; more so than I would have imagined. The kids and I check it every morning. The strawberries took off right away and I have harvested about 20 nice berries! They would have cost me about $4 at the grocery store. The problem is that birds and rabbits are starting to nibble, and I’ve lost about six good berries. Walter suggested putting up a fence and bird netting. I had to go out and buy both, so I’ve added another $15 to my investment. With the help of my husband, we put up a chicken wire fence and made sure to carefully secure the fence to the wood border (that way the critters can’t sneak through the bottom). I will put up the bird netting tomorrow and let you know if it all helps.
Issue No. 2 (and I hate to complain!) is that it has rained nearly every day. The tomatoes look a little wilted and there is some kind of mold growing in the soil. In the coming weeks, we will consult Walter and do a piece on troubleshooting in the garden. E-mail me (jacqui.jeras@turner.com) any topics you may want covered and I’ll try to incorporate some of them into the story.
On a bright note, I’ve picked two bunches of cilantro. I made an awesome mango salsa to top off grilled salmon and gave the other bunch to my photojournalist, Ferre Dollar. And last week I picked some fresh basil and used it for a caprice salad. I only wish I had garden tomatoes to go with it... Give it time!
Mothers as breadwinners
In Washington there's a small, but growing caucus on Capitol Hill. Mom's who are juggling the demands of daycare and diapers with committee meetings and votes.
CNN's Dana Bash and Fredricka Whitfield explore mothers as breadwinners.
The Capitol Hill Moms and many across the country may be getting an extra "Thank you" from their families on mother's day. The reason? The recession.
According to the labor department, more women than men are holding onto their jobs. But why?
Survival of the Fittest Series
By Amy Chillag
Writer/Segment Producer
CNN Newsroom AM w/Tony Harris
I decided to launch this “Survival of the Fittest” Series to show how smart entrepreneurs are coming up with inventive ways to beat the recession.
We’re hearing so much doom and gloom lately about layoffs but there are silver linings to this economic downturn.
In this piece, a successful realtor and single mom was selling fewer and fewer houses. It was a tough time for her, so for therapy and fun (and because she had time on her hands) she started to paint with her children. She was soon “discovered” and now she’s a fulltime artist whose pieces can be found in five galleries around the country. She found her true passion and calling because of the recession.
Friday Preview: Tomorrow we interview an entrepreneur who hit it big with an upscale potato chip company—then became the local advice-guy for dozens of budding entrepreneurs. He hung out at coffee shops where people tracked him down for tips and emotional support. So, to make it official, in the middle of the recession he formed a company called “Idea Ocean”. Now he’s getting paid to give advice. And he has valuable tips for any of you aspiring entrepreneurs out there with big ideas.
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