Flower Blog

It’s holiday season and everyone is fighting over flights.

Early in December, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel frowned upon a proposal submitted by Indian airlines that would hike ticket prices based on a new distance-wise fare calculation.

Usually a one-way flight between Mumbai and Delhi costs between Rs 2,500 and Rs 16,000. According to the new proposal, the highest fare slab for travel of less than 750km is Rs14,000 and Rs 24,000. For long distance travel within India (over 1,400km) the fare slabs proposed were between Rs 22,000 and Rs 30,800.

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Source: http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/visit/four-viewpoints-airfare-hikes-issue-836106

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North Korea called South Korean artillery drills on a front-line island Monday a “reckless military provocation” but said it would not retaliate because Seoul had changed its firing zones.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/20/132193189/south-korea-conducts-drill-near-north-korea-border?ft=1&f=1004

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The Senate is preparing to vote Tuesday on an arms control agreement with Russia. Much of the debate has devolved into argument that looks largely partisan, but there are substantive differences about real-world impacts as well.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/20/132207531/new-start-revives-old-debates-whats-at-stake?ft=1&f=1001

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Millions of America’s low-wage workers are about to get a raise. But economists are debating how the pay hike will play out. Some worry that forcing higher wages will hurt small businesses. Others say raising the minimum wage will generate more consumer spending.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106899398&ft=1&f=1021

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Although comets were sighted at least as early as 1000 B.C., Greek natural philosophers named them sometime around 500 B.C., using the Greek word kometes for “a head with long hair.” Science historian Howard Markel discusses the word’s origins and the study of comets through the centuries.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/17/132141801/science-diction-the-origin-of-the-word-comet?ft=1&f=1007

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It is tradition in the U.S. Senate that outgoing members give a farewell speech. Morning Edition has a sampling of addresses delivered over the last few weeks.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/20/132195790/Outgoing-Senators-Say-Goodbye-In-Farewell-Speeches?ft=1&f=1003

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Video games — especially action games — are far from mindless, scientists say. Many games can help young people develop better vision, attention and spatial cognition skills.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/20/132077565/video-games-boost-brain-power-multitasking-skills?ft=1&f=1001

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No one is neutral about controversial net neutrality rules that are set for a vote at the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday. Public interest groups say the rules favor giant phone and cable companies that spend millions lobbying the agency and Congress. The two Republican appointees on the FCC have already declared their opposition, too.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/19/132180716/Its-Public-Vs-Private-In-Upcoming-Net-Neutrality-Vote?ft=1&f=1003

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You?ve seen this in the movies or in U.S. sitcoms: a teenage boy sheepishly wanders into a pharmacy to buy condoms. 

He?s too ashamed to be seen in the family planning aisle, let alone staring at or, gulp, holding a pack of condoms.

The prospect of taking them to the counter and paying is almost as daunting as having sex for the first time.

He has a tough decision to make. Does he risk the embarrassment and do the right thing or scamper out of the store?

That red-faced young man is Singapore today.

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Source: http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/life/tell-me-about-it/glenn-connley-free-condom-debate-forget-pre-marital-sex-nonsense-lif

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Video games — especially action games — are far from mindless, scientists say. Many games can help young people develop better vision, attention and spatial cognition skills.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2010/12/20/132077565/video-games-boost-brain-power-multitasking-skills?ft=1&f=1001

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