Well, I'm doomed: Extroverted optimists live longest. 

Who lives the longest? 1. Introverts versus extroverts Outgoing, sociable people have the strongest immune systems, a recent study finds. Those who are the most careful, though, are more likely to have a weaker immune system response. The research found no evidence, though, that a tendency towards negative emotions was associated with poor health. 2. …

When school districts merge

Students warm up in choir, one of the many extracurricular classes offered at Starkville High Photo: Nicole Lewis This story is the second in an ongoing series about the last days of desegregation. STARKVILLE, Miss. — When the news first broke that two neighboring school districts in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi had to consolidate, parents, teachers, …

Real life inspirations for mystery plots:

3. Paul Babeu Paul Babeu's coming out may be one of the most sensational, and complicated, of the year. The fiercely conservative, anti-immigrant Republican Sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, and a good friend of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, another extremely anti-immigrant law enforcer, Babeu was outed in February, when his undocumented Mexican immigrant boyfriend of …