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The image of the rural bed and breakfast with claustrophobic rooms, spartan amenities and prying innkeepers has long been a source of laughs for comedians and sitcoms. But B&Bs are fighting back. Now, many country inns are trying to dispel old stereotypes to appeal to new travelers.

Big insurance companies are opening their own doctors' offices and clinics — a strategy that has previously met with mixed results.

House Speaker John Boehner was dealt a major defeat Thursday night. After spending most of the week trying to round up votes for his "Plan B" to extend tax cuts for virtually everyone, he pulled the measure without a vote. The clock keeps ticking toward the end of the year, when automatic tax increases and spending cuts are set to hit.

A Japanese company recently announced it has such a device. Using a smartphone app, you can flush without touching the handle. You can also raise and lower the seat, and there are built-in speakers.

Authorities in Denham Springs, La., threatened Sarah Childs with arrest because her holiday lights were arranged in a particular shape. A judge sided with her, issuing a temporary order allowing her to light up the night with the shape of an extended middle finger.

One week ago, 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Also today: The National Rifle Association holds a news conference; President Obama says hundreds of thousands have signed petition seeking "serious steps" to end gun violence. and the first lady writes to Newtown.

With the collapse of House Speaker John Boehner's "Plan B," there's renewed talk about the likelihood that the end-of-year tax hikes and automatic spending cuts will not be avoided. A dive off the so-called fiscal cliff could hit the economy hard. But it also could force compromise in the new year.

Over the years, the National Rifle Association has become synonymous with protection of gun owners' rights. But other groups have taken an even stronger line in defense of Second Amendment protections. On Friday, the NRA echoed some of those groups, calling for "qualified armed security" in all schools.

National Rifle Association officials say armed officers need to be put in every school. They were reacting to last Friday's mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.

House Speaker John Boehner had a news conference Friday, after he had to withdraw his "Plan B" for avoiding the tax increases and spending cuts due at the end of the year. Many of his fellow Republicans wouldn't support it because it included higher taxes for millionaires.