Shuttle lifts off for last Hubble repair job

The space shuttle Atlantis and a crew of seven thundered away Monday on one last flight to the Hubble Space Telescope, setting off on an extraordinarily ambitious repair mission that NASA hopes will lift the celebrated observatory to new scientific heights.

Atlantis rose from its seaside pad just after 2 p.m. ET and arced out over the Atlantic, ducking through clouds. Hubble was directly overhead, 350 miles up (560 kilometers up).

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Art Car bash shows how Houston rolls

"The intricately painted cars drove down Allen Parkway Saturday afternoon, drawing squeals from adults and children alike.

Included in the celebrated procession: A giant, rolling living room, complete with couches and a bar.

One car was made to look like a peacock with a giant waving tail."

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California Ghost Town Honors Historic Memories

"On Saturday at 10 a.m., a local ghost town will shake off its cobwebs and open its gates for a bash to be held in its honor.

The remains of Clarksville will be open to the public for a celebration of the town’s history. The family friendly event will feature Pony Express Remount demonstrations, a Civil War era encampment, the Mormon Battalion re-enactment group, gold panning, music and more."

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‘i-house’ is giant leap from trailer park

From its bamboo floors to its rooftop deck, Clayton Homes' new industrial-chic "i-house" is about as far removed from a mobile home as an iPod from a record player.

Architects at the country's largest manufactured home company embraced the basic rectangular form of what began as housing on wheels and gave it a postmodern turn with a distinctive v-shaped roofline, energy efficiency and luxury appointments.

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Our Family Treasure Has Bubbles

Maple syrup is strictly prohibited. So are forks and knives. There are, in fact, only two approved ways to eat my family's traditional sourdough pancakes: 1) slathered in butter, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and rolled up like a spongy piccolo; and 2) folded double over a melted slice of sharp cheddar cheese. I live on the edge of heresy; I like mine with honey and diced fruit. All varieties find their way to your mouth via your fingers.

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Now best time to buy home, Houston economist says

"The single-family housing market may prove to be the strongest of all of Houston’s real estate sectors as the area plods through the economic downturn and global recession, said local economist Barton Smith at his annual real estate symposium Tuesday.

Even though the recession is just now beginning to unfold locally, this could be the best time to buy a home, Smith said.

Prices — already down 2 percent — may fall some more, but historically low interest rates won’t last much beyond this year."


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Christians Tweet to Donate Drinking Water

Hundreds of twitterers and bloggers have been skipping their morning Starbucks runs and afternoon sodas, drinking only water for five days to help save lives.

Among the less-caffeinated bunch is Shawn Wood, Experiences Pastor at Seacoast Church in South Carolina, who launched a water initiative called "5 Days In May" to help provide clean water to those in developing countries who do not have access to the basic resource.

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