The A-list Files

Minutes after Supreme Court Justice David Souter announced his retirement, the rumors about who might be on Obama's "short list" began to spread.

Currently the Supreme Court of the United States has only one female associate justice. (Search for her name.) Reports suggest there are several women on Obama's list, along with a few men. Here is a topline of the potential female nominees:

Leah Ward Sears: The current chief justice of Georgia's state Supreme Court, Sears would be the first black female justice. (Search for more about her.)

Elena Kagan: Formerly dean of Harvard Law School, she is the solicitor general of the United States. (Search for more about her.)

Sonia Sotomayor: A judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, she would be the first Latina Supreme Court justice. (Search for more about her.)

Diane Wood: A senior lecturer at the University of Chicago School of Law, she is a federal appeals court judge. (Search for more about her.)

Jennifer Granholm: The governor of Michigan has been mentioned but says she's not interested in a seat on the bench. (Search for more about her.)

Search for the latest news about Obama's Supreme Court nominees.

Correction, May 11, 2009: This originally said if selected Sonia Sotomayor would be the first Latina chief justice. That's incorrect; she would be the first Latina Supreme Court justice. The error has been corrected.

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Ryanair caused a stir in February when it suggested making passengers pay to use the bathroom. Now the company is considering a policy that would make overweight passengers pay by the pound. (Search for more on that.)

The Irish budget airline isn't the first to consider implementing a policy for "flying while fat," a phrase coined by the media. Earlier this month, United joined Southwest and other airlines by enforcing policies that require overweight passengers to purchase another seat — or forgo their flight. (Search for the "seatmates of size" policy.)

The Association for Airline Passenger Rights has fired back, calling the policy discriminatory. It's not likely to be the last challenge. Consider that more than half of the American population is overweight or obese.

In the meantime, search has the skinny on the so-called fat tax:

How big is too big: Passengers who cannot fit in a single seat with the armrests down and/or cannot use the safety belt with a single extender. (How long is an extender?)

Pay-per-pound: If Ryanair adopts its body-conscious model, passengers may have to pay for every pound they exceed a medically determined ideal weight. (Search for your ideal weight.)

Know your rights: Travel writer Harriet Baskas suggests keeping a copy of the airline's policy with you, to ensure all options are exhausted before you're forced to pay for another seat. (Search for more on your rights.)

Bonus: Weight policies don't affect just passengers. Several Air India flight attendants were fired earlier this year for exceeding airline weight requirements. (Search for that story.)

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Celeb gossip sites were all agog last week over Britney Spears' most recent wardrobe malfunctions. One involved the pop princess losing a hair extension during a concert in Oakland, Calif. (Search for video.)

Good taste prevents us from mentioning the other one. (But we can't stop you from doing your own search.)

If you're a celebrity, you can count on the paparazzi capturing every fashion flub on camera. Just look at Brad Pitt, who was famously photographed with his pants awry — and Jake Gyllenhaal, who recently made news at the Coachella music festival for the same faux pas. Or Lil' Kim, who literally almost lost her shirt on an episode of "Dancing With the Stars" last month. (Search for video.)

Let's face it: We've all had our own embarrassing fashion accidents: the unzipped fly, the run in the stocking, the torn hem — or worse. Search has ideas about how to fix some common fashion glitches:

How to fix a run in your nylons;

How to fix a torn hem;

How to fix a broken heel; and

How to prepare for any fashion emergency.

Plus: How exactly do you tell someone their fly is down? Believe it or not, there's etiquette to this. Search explains.

Bonus: Justin Timberlake is credited with uttering that now-famous phrase, adding permanently the words "wardrobe malfunction" to our language. (Search has more on that Super Bowl halftime show that sparked all the controversy.)

Plus: CBS may once again be on the hook to pay the $550,000 FCC fine that was thrown out last year. The Supreme Court today ruled that the decision must be re-examined by an appeals court. (Search for the latest.)

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Recently The New York Observer published a scathing profile of a young woman named Kari Ferrell. Since then, the Internet has been buzzing about the woman now known as the Hipster Grifter. (Search for the article.)

Who is she? Ferrell, 22, is a fugitive wanted in Salt Lake City in connection with forgery, issuing bad checks and retail theft.

Some call her a grifter. What's that? (Search for the definition.)

We turn to search to learn more about Ferrell, some of her alleged cons and her life on the grift.

The affinity con: In Salt Lake City, Ferrell lived and allegedly preyed in a subculture of the hardcore punk scene that refrains from drinking alcohol, using tobacco and taking recreational drugs.

Who lives like this? (Search for the answer.)

The sweetheart scam: Ferrell reportedly conned boyfriends and lovers out of their money. Last year, in Salt Lake City, she had a boyfriend post her bail and then promptly skipped town.

Among grifters, these victims are known as what? (Search for the answer.)

Where is she now? Reports vary. Early reports suggested she fled to Philadelphia, but this week word is she's still in NYC. An extradition warrant has been issued, and anyone who has seen her is asked to call the authorities.

How might you recognize her? She has a unique tattoo. (Search for more about her ink.)

Latest: Yesterday search turned up a video, in which Ferrell apologizes and addresses her critics, including a former employer.(Search for it.)

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When Joe Biden said on NBC's "Today" show Thursday that he told his family not to go anywhere in confined spaces now, such as commercial airliners, because of swine flu, he was just being honest.

Silly Joe.

He was honest, but his remarks went way beyond the precautions suggested by Obama administration health officials. (Search for more on Biden's swine flu gaffe.) Biden's office quickly backpedaled on the VP's statement.

Biden's comments matched what political journalist Michael Kinsley called a gaffe, which is, as he put it, when a politician tells the truth, or at least what he or she believes is the truth. That more particular type of gaffe is now called a Kinsley gaffe. (Search for the definition.)

Here are a few more memorable ones:

First up, Jill Biden (wife of Joe, of course) said her husband had been offered the position of either secretary of state or vice president in an Obama administration. (Search for more.)

OK, but who said: "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb bomb Iran" (sung to the tune of the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann")? (Search for the answer.)

During primary season, Hillary Clinton defended her decision to stay in the primary by seeming to suggest that Barack Obama might get assassinated. (Search for the gaffe.)

Candidate Obama caught heat for his remarks about some economically strapped Middle Americans who "cling to guns or religion … as a way to explain their frustrations."

That didn't go over well. (Search for more.)

But who can forget President George W. Bush's farewell at the conclusion of his final G8 summit: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter"? (Search for more on that.)

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Saturday, May 2 marks the 135th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs, and already the Kentucky Derby is making headlines. One filly died after a collision on the track, and a colt was pulled at the last minute for an injury. (Search for Kentucky Derby news.)

But the news isn't all grim for Derby fans. There is still the thrill of the race and the chance of picking a winner. We turn to search to find out who is favored to win, which horse is the long shot and the stories that have the paddock buzzing.

Favorite to win: I Want Revenge. This early 3-1 favorite has been burning up the track in recent weeks, under 19-year-old jockey Joe Talamo, and will post from the 13th position on Saturday. (Search for more about thoroughbred racing's rising-star jockey.)

Long shot: Mine That Bird. Entering with long 50-1 odds, this colt could pay off big for those who bet on the underdog. Coming off a championship season (largely in Canada) this son of a Belmont Stakes winner will post from the eighth position. (Search for more about handicapping a horse race.)

Sentimental favorite: Friesan Fire. The Louisiana Derby winner enters with 5-1 odds and will take the sixth position at the gate. Why sentimental? The colt's trainer, Larry Jones, has signaled that this is his last Derby, saying his retirement has nothing to do with a tragedy that unfolded last year, rather it's just time. (Search for more on the tragedy.)

Search for more about this year's Kentucky Derby contenders and the latest on payoffs.

For the record: 

Which horse still holds the record for fastest time at the Kentucky Derby? Search for the answer.

Which horse was the longest long shot — entered at 90-1 — to win? Search for the answer.

And the most recent horse to win the Triple Crown? Search for the answer. Yep, it's been a long time since we had one.

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Lance Armstrong is back on the bike right now in the Giro d'Italia, his first race since his crash — and broken collarbone — last month. He has had other setbacks, and some successes, on the comeback trail lately.

But why come back after an unprecedented seven consecutive Tour de France wins?

The move, he says, is part of an effort to raise awareness about his new LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Awareness Campaign. (Search has more about it.)

Now that he's competing in the Giro d'Italia — widely known as the most important race leading up to the Tour de France — we look at what's happened since he announced his bid to win No. 8 last fall:

His stolen bike: His custom Trek time-trial bike was stolen from a tour bus right before the Amgen Tour of California in February. Armstrong tweeted about it — search for his official Twitter account — but it was not found in time for the race. He used a backup instead. (Search tells us if anyone was arrested in connection with the case.)

Anti-doping drama: Armstrong's long-simmering feud with the French boiled over when that country's anti-doping agency accused him of breaking its rules in mid-March in what has been referred to as Showergate. They've since cleared him of wrongdoing and won't seek sanctions against him. (Search tells us what the agency's beef was.)

Injury: After finishing in 125th place in the Milan-San Remo race in late March, Armstrong crashed during Spain's Castilla y Leon race and broke his collarbone. (Find out how the surgery went.)

Independent drug testing:Armstrong's independent drug-testing plan fell apart. (Search for the details.)

Cleared to race: After recovering from the collarbone injury, and initially being told that he and his team would not be allowed to participate in the Tour of the Gila, Armstrong was admitted into the race, which ends Sunday.

His personal life, on the other hand, appears to be going more smoothly. He's expecting a baby this summer with girlfriend Anna Hansen.

Correction, April 30: This article said that the Tour of the Gila is widely known as the most important race leading up to the Tour de France. This was incorrect. The Giro d'Italia (also known as the Tour of Italy) is known as the most important race before the Tour de France.

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The grim recession is taking its toll on the psyches of people around the globe, regardless of wealth or success. Here are details about recent high-profile suicides, plus some suicide prevention resources:

David Kellerman: The Freddie Mac acting chief financial officer was found hanging in his basement on April 22. It has been speculated that the stress of the failing mortgage giant was the reason. (Search has the details.)

René-Thierry Magon de La Villehuchet: The head of a French investment company — and major investor with Bernie Madoff — took his life at his desk in New York in December. (Search for more details.)

Adolf Merckle: This German industrialist, who in 2007 was ranked Forbes' 44th richest man, threw himself in front of a train in January. In 2008, he dropped dramatically on the Forbes list. (Search tells us where he appeared on the list.)

Patrick Rocca: The so-called poster boy of Ireland's Celtic Tiger shot himself in the head in January. In 2007, his fortune topped an estimated $647 million. (Search for more details.)

These times are reminiscent of tales of rich financiers leaping from office windows after the Great Crash of 1929. And that's just what they were: tales. Contrary to popular belief, suicide rates did not increase during the Great Depression. (Search has the data.)

Today, calls to suicide prevention hotlines have spiked dramatically in some areas. For example, those in Los Angeles and Oregon have seen startling increases. (Search for more details.)

The national suicide rate is hotly debated, but the ailing economy impacts the psyches of a surprising number of Americans, according to a recent survey. (Search for details.)

Unlike during the Great Depression, today there is help. The government has launched a Web site full of information, and there are resources to prevent suicide. (Search for them.)

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When it comes to firsts, Michelle Obama seems to break new ground every day. Of course, being the first black first lady is at the top of the heap. But she's first in many other "first lady" categories, too.

As the media assesses her husband's first 100 days in office, we look at the mark she has made in her short time in the White House:

Tallest: Mrs. Obama is tall (5-foot-11), but she's not the tallest first lady in American history (though there's a bit of a debate). She's just shy of that title with, well, this search offers the answer.

Busiest: There's no official ruling here, but it's generally agreed that she's been the busiest first lady during this introductory 100-day period. She visits all over D.C., talks to military families and schoolkids, and has given numerous speeches to government employees and other groups. (Search for details on her schedule.)

Fittest: She's definitely the buffest first lady ever. Obama does a tough cross-training routine for 90 minutes at least three times a week. This has led to another first: Her toned arms have been studied, debated and endlessly envied. (Search for Obama's arm workout.)

Most "covered": The latest tally shows that from the campaign through today, she has appeared on at least 22 major magazine covers: People, Essence and more. She's the second first lady to make Vogue's cover. (Who was the first? Answer.) She is also the first person to share the cover of O with Oprah. (Search for that cover photo.)

Everyday fashionista: Jackie Kennedy brought high fashion to the modern-era White House. Nancy Reagan was known for designer duds. But Michelle Obama champions little-known, young American designers as well as wearing clothes from moderately priced retailers such as J. Crew. (Search for more about her favorite designers.)

First to hug the queen: Lest we forget, she was the first first lady to ever hug the queen of England. Etiquette faux pas? (Search for more on that.)

Michelle Obama's trailblazing accomplishments certainly amount to more than the above. (Search for more on her biography and her career.)

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Texas teens under the age of 16 1/2 may be banned from using tanning beds, if a proposed bill passes. According to lawmakers, increased cases of melanoma among people in their 20s require drastic, preventive action at an earlier age.

(Search for more on the story.)

Hollywood's obsession with tanning isn't helping, either. Take Kim Kardashian, for example. The star recently sought advice for curing sunburn lines — after dozing off in the sun with extraordinarily large sunglasses on — then posted the pics on Twitter. (Search for them.) Could the reality TV star be suffering from "tanorexia," a compulsive need to be tan?

We can't say for sure, but Kardashian claims she's no amateur when it comes to achieving optimal results with tanning sprays and creams. That's not the case for many of her Hollywood peers whose hides are perpetually bronzed, either by ray or by spray. Here are some famous faces who take tanning to the extreme:

The granddaddy of glow: George Hamilton leads the list. Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham and Lisa Rinna always bear burnished bods.

You don't have to live in Hollywood, either: Just look at Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.

Designers do it, too: Check out Donatella Versace and Valentino.

And then there are the celeb tanning disasters, when fake tans turn orange. Search for examples.

Bonus: UV light is classified by the American Medical Association as a carcinogen, like tobacco … or asbestos. But could moderate UV light exposure actually prevent skin cancer? That's the finding of one study. (Search has more on that.) Scientists call it hormesis, and it's the theory that long-term, low exposure to toxins can help the body build protection against them. (How does that work?)

Correction, April 27: This article originally said that Kim Kardashian got sunburned by a tanning bed. That was incorrect. She got her burn on the beach. The error has been corrected.

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