EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The College Board, which administers Advanced Placement courses and the SAT, is quietly mapping out changes to some of its flagship programs amid concerns that they cover too much content and don’t allow for in-depth study. A team of researchers at the University of Oregon in Eugene is leading a re-examination…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have resisted President Bush’s proposed changes to Social Security, arguing its problems are far off. The program’s top analyst says they’re flat wrong. Stephen Goss, the nonpartisan chief actuary of the Social Security Administration, says the nation will face a pinch in 2009 when excess payroll taxes that have been flowing…

CHICAGO (AP) — A review of nearly 40 years of research suggests that hair dye poses little or no risk of cancer, as some fear. Skeptics, however, say safety questions remain. The report is the latest addition to a long debate over a cosmetic practice used by millions worldwide. It is estimated that in Europe…

NEW YORK (AP) — Rhonda Britten and Iyanla Vanzant, the life coaches from the daytime reality series “Starting Over,” hope to take the desperation out of housewives — one woman at a time. “There’s no place that gives people hope,” says Vanzant. “People are suffering. They need hope. ‘Starting Over’ gives them hope.” The NBC-syndicated…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Rascal Flatts will perform during the “American Idol” season finale on Wednesday. The group will perform their hit “Bless the Broken Road” with Carrie Underwood, one of two finalists, the group’s publicist said Monday. The show will air 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern from the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. “I’ve always…

NEW YORK (AP) — So you want to be on a reality TV show? Be prepared. If you actually make it, you’re probably going to lose. There’s only one “Survivor,” one “Apprentice,” one “Top Model” every season. Odds are you’ll be eliminated, voted off, fired or just plain told to leave. The painful process —…

NEW YORK (AP) — The desperate divas of Wisteria Lane have brought their first season to a smashing close. So what’s in store for Year Two of ABC’s hit melodrama from the ‘burbs? With an estimated 30.3 million viewers reeling from Sunday’s cliffhangers — the biggest audience for a freshman series finale since “ER” a…

NASHVILLE (AP) — Two key pieces of Gov. Phil Bredesen’s agenda passed the House Tuesday as the General Assembly works to wrap up the session. One bill would set up the “Tennessee Heritage Conservation Fund” to preserve tracts of land within Tennessee for the purpose of promoting tourism and recreation, including outdoor activities such as…

NASHVILLE (AP) — There’s still hope for a bill that would make it easier for ex-felons to restore their voting rights after an attempt to kill the legislation failed in the House on Tuesday. The bill sponsored by Rep. Larry Turner, D-Memphis, failed in the House last week and a “motion to reject” was called,…

NASHVILLE (AP) — A last-minute plan to give state employees a shot at an even larger pay raise stalled Tuesday, despite the backing of Lt. Gov. John Wilder. Lawmakers are working out the final details in the state’s $26 billion budget, forcing tough decisions on favorite initiatives for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The…