Ragbag Headliners

Giants defeat Texas Rangers 3-1 in Game 5 to win first World Series since leaving New York for San Francisco in 1950s. –CNN Reports

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Voters in California reject Prop. 19, a measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use. –CNN Reports

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Alcohol 'Most Harmful Drug'

Alcohol ranks "most harmful" among a list of 20 drugs, beating out crack and heroin when assessed for its potential harm to the individual imbibing and harm to others, according to study results released by a British medical journal.

A panel of experts from the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs weighed the physical, psychological, and social problems caused by the drugs and determined that alcohol was the most harmful overall, according to an article on the study released by The Lancet on Sunday.

Using a new scale to evaluate harms to individual users and others, alcohol received a score of 72 on a scale of 1 to 100, the study says. It was compared to 19 other drugs using 16 criteria: nine related to the adverse effects the drug has on an individual and seven on its harm against others.

That makes it almost three times as harmful as cocaine or tobacco, according to the article, which is slated to be published on The Lancet's website Monday and in an upcoming print edition of the journal. –Read more at CNN Health

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Contraception Could Be Free Under Health Care Law

Fifty years after the pill, another birth control revolution may be on the horizon: free contraception for women in the U.S., thanks to the new health care law.

That could start a shift toward more reliable — and expensive — forms of birth control that are gaining acceptance in other developed countries.

But first, look for a fight over social mores.

A panel of experts advising the government meets in November to begin considering what kind of preventive care for women should be covered at no cost to the patient, as required under President Barack Obama's overhaul.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., author of the women's health amendment, says the clear intent was to include family planning.

But is birth control preventive medicine? -Read More at Yahoo News

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Legal Cannabis For The Rest Of Us?

Marijuana makes you slow and raises the risk of addiction, memory problems and cognitive functions, some health agencies warn.

But its enthusiasts counter that in addition to fueling creativity, pot is a natural herb with health benefits, relieving pain and improving quality of life for chronically ill patients.

Medical use of marijuana is legal in 14 states and the District of Columbia. On Tuesday, California voters will decide whether their state will be the first to legalize recreational marijuana use.

The vote on Proposition 19 is being closely watched as the Golden State is often seen as a bellwether. It was the first state to authorize medicinal marijuana in 1996.

Prop 19 would allow people 21 and older to possess, cultivate or transport up to 1 ounce of marijuana for personal use. –Read more at CNN HealthNN Health 

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GOP Soars In House, State Races; Democrats Expected To Keep Senate

Voters' anger over a stubborn jobless rate and anxiety over troubled economy helped propel Republicans to a sweeping takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives and a stronger presence in state offices, projections indicate.

With results still coming in, the full extent of the Republican takeover of the 435-member House was still to be determined. But CNN projected that Republicans would win at least 60 more House seats than they currently hold to wipe out the Democratic majority of the past four years.

Democrats cling onto their majority in the Senate, though in smaller numbers, according to projections based on CNN analysis of exit poll data from Tuesday's midterm elections. Democrats were guaranteed of holding at least 50 of the 100 Senate seats, with a handful of close races still outstanding, according to the projections.

Exit poll data analyzed by CNN showed the economy was the dominant issue on voters' minds and indicated that key constituencies shifted from supporting Democrats in 2008 to voting for Republicans this time. –Read more at CNN Politics

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Space Station Marks 10 Years Of Human Occupation

The crew of the International Space Station marked the 10th anniversary of continuous human occupation of the orbiting science laboratory with a typical workday, pausing only briefly for a chat with NASA chief Charles Bolden and questions from international reporters.

"It's kind of mind-boggling when you stop and think about what you've done," Bolden told the crew. Bolden is a former NASA astronaut who flew on four space shuttle missions prior to the station's 2000 opening.

The football-field sized platform passed the 10-year mark early Tuesday, some 57,361 orbits of Earth after the first crew came aboard, according to NASA. –Read more at CNN U.S.

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Variety Of Proposals On Ballots In 37 States

California voters rejected the legalization of marijuana Tuesday, according to a CNN projection based on exit polling.

Supporters of Proposition 19 argued that the "prohibition" of marijuana -- much like that for alcohol decades ago -- has created a violent criminal black market, led today by international drug cartels.

But opponents prevailed Tuesday. They asserted that even if the proposition were to pass, federal law still prohibits individuals and groups from manufacturing, distributing and possessing marijuana for recreational use. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said he will continue to enforce that federal law. Opponents also said that driving under the influence of marijuana would be a public threat. –Read more at CNN Politics