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Wednesday, December 10, 2008
· Update: Auto rescue bill in peril. Republicans were in full revolt against their party's lame-duck president over the measure, balking at helping Detroit's struggling Big Three without hefty concessions from autoworkers and creditors, and furious about an environmental mandate House Democrats insisted on including in the measure. 
· More Than 650 International Scientists Dissent Over Man-Made Global Warming Claims. The UN global warming conference currently underway in Poland is about to face a serious challenge from over 650 dissenting scientists from around the globe who are criticizing the climate claims made by the UN IPCC and former Vice President Al Gore.
· Angry Ford dealer blasts imports in ads. A South Carolina Ford dealer angered over the proposed bailout of U.S. automakers blames the nation's sour economy on Congress and criticized buyers of Japanese cars, calling the vehicles "rice ready ... not road ready" in a radio ad.
· Embattled Ill. gov. could still fill Senate seat. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich could still appoint someone to fill Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat despite charges that he tried to barter it away for cash or a plum job in what prosecutors call "a political corruption crime spree."
· Stroke victim beaten, starved. A barely speaking stroke victim was tied down like a dog while his much younger ex-girlfriend let her drug addict lover use the senior as a punching bag, a judge heard yesterday.
· Deal reached in principle on $15B auto bailout. A government "car czar" with the power to force U.S. automakers into bankruptcy would dole out $15 billion in emergency loans to the failing industry under an emerging deal between the White House and congressional Democrats.
· Ton of Marijuana Seized From Cloned UPS Truck in Arizona. Arizona Department of Public Safety Detectives have confiscated about $1.2 million worth of marijuana from a truck that appeared identical to a United Parcel Service truck.
· Leno's move to prime time becomes monologue fodder. "A lot of people were shocked," Jay Leno joked Tuesday night. "They didn't know NBC still had a prime time." Craig Ferguson on CBS also had a little fun with it. "Jay's getting a little older now," Ferguson said. "So 10 p.m. is kinda 'late night' for Jay."
· 'American Idol' Winner's Home In Foreclosure. “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino is about to get evicted from her 6,000-square-foot upscale home in south Charlotte.
· Another arrest made in shackled teen case. A fourth person was arrested Tuesday in the case of a kidnapped teen who escaped captivity wearing only boxer shorts and a shackle on his ankle, police said.
· Obama works to distance himself from Ill. governor. Though Barack Obama isn't accused of anything, the charges against his home-state governor — concerning Obama's own Senate seat no less — are an unwelcome distraction. And the ultimate fallout is unclear. As Obama works to set up his new administration and deal with a national economic crisis, suddenly he also is spending time and attention trying to distance himself from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and charges that the governor was trying to sell the now-vacant Senate post.
· Assisted Suicide to Air on Television for First Time. Chilling scenes showing a man killing himself at a suicide clinic in Switzerland will be broadcast on British television Wednesday night.
· NYPD officers charged in sodomy case. A grand jury Tuesday indicted three New York police officers on charges related to the alleged sodomy of a man on a Brooklyn subway platform in October.
· Marilyn Monroe heir's pricey 'shenanigans' over actress' famous photos. A judge accused the legendary bombshell's heir of "unacceptable shenanigans" in a battle over licensing famous photos and fined her $200,000 Tuesday.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
· Drunk school bus driver 12 times over the legal limit. Vermont State Police say a drunk bus driver ready to begin his route was more than 12 times over the legal limit. Police say his preliminary blood alcohol content was .242 percent.
· Stolen High School Computer Snaps Pictures Of User. Authorities are searching for suspects who stole a laptop from a local high school, and have released photos of the suspect taken by the computer's anti-theft program.
· Dixie Chicks Sued for Defamation. A man whose 8-year-old stepson was killed in 1993 has sued all three members of the country-pop group for defamation, singling out frontwoman Natalie Maines for her comments suggesting he played a role in the boy's death.
· Simpson codefendants avoid prison. Four of O.J. Simpson's accomplices in the 2007 robbery at a Las Vegas hotel were given suspended sentences Tuesday by Nevada District Judge Jackie Glass.
· Sen. Craig loses appeal in airport sex sting case. Idaho Sen. Larry Craig has lost his latest attempt to withdraw his guilty plea in the Minneapolis airport men's room sex sting that effectively ended his Senate career.
· Illinois governor taken into custody on corruption charges. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was taken into federal custody today on corruption charges stemming from the appointment of President-elect Barack Obama's Senate replacement. Blagojevich and his Chief of Staff John Harris are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery.
· Half of rescued borrowers still end up in default. More than half of delinquent homeowners whose mortgages were modified earlier this year ended up redefaulting within six months, a top bank regulator said Monday.
· Calling In 'Gay' to Work Is Latest Form of Protest. Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" — scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants.
· Oprah Winfrey says she weighs 200 pounds. When it comes to her weight, Oprah Winfrey has always been straightforward. The talk show queen continues the honesty, saying in the January issue of "O" magazine out Tuesday that she now weighs 200 pounds and has "fallen off the wagon" when it comes to healthy living.
· NYC Eatery Charges 3 Percent For Food You Waste. At Hayashi Ya Japanese restaurant on the Upper West Side it's all you can eat for $26.95, unless your eyes are bigger than your stomach and then - like the sign says - it will cost you extra.
· Leno to reportedly stay at NBC, move to prime time. NBC reportedly has signed its late-night star Jay Leno to a contract that will keep him at the network and move him to prime time. Under the new deal, Leno, whose "Tonight" show hosting job will go to Conan O'Brien next June, would have a new show airing 10 p.m. Eastern every weeknight, according to The New York Times.
· 3 dead after military jet crash3 dead after military jet crash. A military jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in San Diego, California, on Monday as it tried to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, killing three people in a home, authorities said.
· Nagging Wife, Sausage Help Man Win $4.2M Lottery. A "nagging" wife who pushed her husband to buy a lottery ticket helped scoop the $4.2 million first prize — with only minutes to spare. The man from New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland, bought his ticket just two minutes before ticket sales closed Saturday night.
· Woman surrenders in shooting of Ruffalo's brother. A woman wanted by police in connection with the shooting of actor Mark Ruffalo's brother surrendered on Monday, along with a man authorities named a "person of interest" in the case.
Monday, December 8, 2008
· Zucker says NBC may scale down programming hours. A terrible fall season at NBC is forcing the network to consider scaling back the number of hours it airs programming, Chief Executive Jeff Zucker told an investor conference Monday.
· Field Trips Canceled After Students See Autopsy of Classmate. A medical examiner's office in Michigan has canceled public school tours after a high school group watched the autopsy of a 14-year-old girl from their district.
· Woman Accused of Letting Teen Daughter Dance at Sex Party. Detroit police say they raided a sex-for-cash party involving 19 adult female prostitutes and two 16-year-old girls, including the hostess's daughter.
· Indiana bans smiles in license photos. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is restricting glasses, hats, scarves - and even smiles - in driver's license photographs.
· Tribune files for bankruptcy. Media conglomerate Tribune Co. filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, as the owner of the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Cubs and other properties tries to deal with $13 billion in debt.
· Merrill CEO seeking 2008 bonus of $10 million. Merrill Lynch & Co Chief Executive John Thain has suggested to directors that he get a 2008 bonus of as much as $10 million, but the battered company's compensation committee is resisting his request, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation.
· NYC man spends $7,500 to fight $115 parking ticket. A retired New York City man says he's spent $7,500 fighting a $115 parking ticket because he's got "nothing else to do."
· Detroit Church Prays for Bailout With SUVs at Altar. With auto workers in the pews and sport-utility vehicles at the altar, one of Detroit's largest churches on Sunday offered up prayers for Congress to bail out the struggling auto industry.
· Obama: Days of 'pork as a strategy' are over. President-elect Barack Obama on Sunday warned officials around the country who want to fund projects with federal dollars: no more business as usual. "How are we going to make sure taxpayers are protected? You know, the days of just pork coming out of Congress as a strategy, those days are over," Obama told NBC's Tom Brokaw in an interview on "Meet the Press."
· Recycling goes from boom to bust as economy stalls. Just months after riding an incredible high, the recycling market has tanked almost in lockstep with the global economic meltdown. As consumer demand for autos, appliances and new homes dropped, so did the steel and pulp mills' demand for scrap, paper and other recyclables.
· NY Times Co to borrow against building. The New York Times Co plans to borrow up to $225 million against its mid-Manhattan headquarters building, to ease a potential cash flow squeeze as the company grapples with tighter credit and shrinking profits, the New York Times reported on its website Monday.
· Obama Pledges Not to Smoke in White House. Obama told the magazine Men's Health in an interview for its November issue that he wished he had more time for staying fit and that he still occasionally smoked a cigarette.
· Heart attack patients get 'big chill' treatment. For years, doctors have tried cooling people to limit damage from head and spinal cord injuries, strokes and even prematurity and birth trauma in newborns. Now doctors will be testing a new and dramatically speedier way of doing this for a much more common problem - heart attacks, which strike a million Americans each year.
· College graduate wants 50 jobs... in 50 states. It's hard enough these days to find and then keep one job. But a California college graduate is planning to land 50 jobs... in all 50 states by the end of 2009.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
· Court OKs Diaper Evidence at Astronaut Lisa Nowak's Trial. Diapers, latex gloves and other items found in an ex-astronaut's car can be used as evidence when the woman accused of driving 1,000-miles to confront a romantic rival goes to trial, an appeals court ruled.
· Sunny von Bulow dies after 28 years in coma. After spending nearly 28 years in an irreversible coma, heiress and socialite Martha "Sunny" von Bulow died Saturday in a New York nursing home, according to a family statement. She was 76. Von Bulow was subject of one of the nation's most sensational criminal cases during the 1980s. Her husband, Claus, was accused of trying to kill her with an overdose of insulin.
· Secret Santas in 3 states spread cheer, $100 bills. Two secret Santas descended on thrift stores, a health clinic, convenience store and an auto repair shop to dole out $20,000 in $100 bills, hugs and words of encouragement to unsuspecting souls in need.
· Angry Laid-Off Workers Occupy Factory in Chicago. About 250 union workers occupied the Republic Windows and Doors plant in shifts Saturday and say they won't go home without assurances they'll get severance and vacation pay.
· Indicted La. congressman loses re-election bid. Nine-term Democratic Rep. William Jefferson, who has been battling scandals and a federal indictment for the past three years, lost his bid for re-election on Saturday. In 2005, Jefferson's private homes in Washington and New Orleans were raided, and FBI agents say they found $90,000 in cash stashed in one of his freezers.
· Girl, 10, Dies in Texas Christmas Parade Float Accident. A trailer carrying children in a Christmas parade struck and killed a 10-year-old girl who had jumped out of a pickup truck driving among the floats Saturday, police said.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
· Proposed fee on smelly cows, hogs angers farmers. For farmers, this stinks: Belching and gaseous cows and hogs could start costing them money if a federal proposal to charge fees for air-polluting animals becomes law.
· Hyperinflation forces Zimbabwe to print $200 million notes. Cash-strapped Zimbabwe revealed plans Saturday to circulate $200 million notes, just days after introducing a $100 million bill, Finance Minister Samuel Mumbengegwi said. Last week the price of a loaf of bread soared from 2 million to 35 million Zimbabwean dollars.
· B-word on son's head lands mom in jail. A Delaware County woman was arrested after her 9-year-old son told police she held him down and scratched a derogatory word onto his forehead before sending him to school.
· Wearing 'almost homeless' sign, ex-executive seeks work. Paul Nawrocki says he's beyond the point where he cares about humiliation. That's why he weekly takes a 90-minute train ride to New York, where he walks the streets wearing a sandwich board that reads: The former toy-industry executive needs a job.
· Pinup Bettie Page is gravely ill. Bettie Page, one of the most notable pinup models of the 20th century, was hospitalized in intensive care after suffering a heart attack, her agent said.
· Update: Simpson could have taken plea deal for less time. O.J. Simpson is headed to prison for at least nine years, but a prosecutor says he could have spent less time behind bars if he had accepted a plea deal before he was convicted.
· Deadlock over Detroit bailout may soon end. Help may soon be on the way to the struggling U.S. auto industry after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi backed off her opposition to using funds from a fuel-efficiency research program for a bailout, two congressional officials said Friday.
· Worker says 'Joe the Plumber' cover-up was forced upon her. The Ohio state worker who unwittingly ran an improper child-support check on the man known as Joe the Plumber told lawmakers yesterday that a deputy director later "dictated" how she was supposed to cover it up.
· Witness: 'Sopranos' actor knew friend had gun. Former "Sopranos" actor Lillo Brancato knew a fellow junkie was carrying a gun before a break-in that led to the deadly shooting of an off-duty police officer, a drug dealer testified Friday.
Friday, December 5, 2008
· Update: Atheist sign stolen, found in Washington state ditch. An atheist sign criticizing Christianity that was erected alongside a Nativity scene was taken from the Legislative Building in Olympia, Washington, on Friday and later found in a ditch. The sign stated "Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."
· Border Patrol chief charged with hiring illegals. The regional director of Homeland Security, Customs, and Border Protection was charged today with repeatedly hiring illegal immigrants to clean her Salem home after one cleaner wore a wire during an undercover investigation.
· Teacher sorry for binding girls in slavery lesson. A white social studies teacher attempted to enliven a seventh-grade discussion of slavery by binding the hands and feet of two black girls, prompting outrage from one girl's mother and the local chapter of the NAACP.
· O.J. Simpson sentenced to nine to 33 years. Former football great O.J. Simpson will spend anywhere from nine to 33 years in prison and his co-defendant, Clarence C.J. Stewart will spend 7.5 to 27 years for their roles in a Las Vegas armed robbery case.
· Milwaukee neighborhoods could print own money. Residents from the Milwaukee neighborhoods of Riverwest and East Side are scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss printing their own money. The idea is that the local cash could be used at neighborhood stores and businesses, thus encouraging local spending. The result, supporters hope, would be a bustling local economy, even as the rest of the nation deals with a recession.
· Taxpayers furious over homeowner bailouts. Many Americans are outraged that their money is being spent to rescue irresponsible mortgage borrowers. Still, that probably won't stop government officials.
· Some bailout holdings down $9 billion. Stock intended to eventually earn taxpayers a profit as part of the Bush administration's massive bank bailout has lost a third of its value — about $9 billion — in barely one month, according to an Associated Press analysis. Shares in virtually every bank that received federal money have remained below the prices the government negotiated.
· Obama's 3 Million Donors Asked to Pay Clinton Debt. President-elect Obama is emailing millions of Americans, asking for their help in paying down Hillary Clinton's multimillion-dollar presidential campaign debt.
· Trio used bat, knife, belt on shackled teen. The three alleged abusers of a 17-year-old teen, who escaped captivity with a shackle on his ankle, tortured him with a bat, knife and belt, court documents released Thursday contend.
· Florida Man Charged With Assaulting Girlfriend With Cheeseburger. A Vero Beach man is facing a domestic violence charge after authorities say he assaulted his girlfriend with a cheeseburger.
Word of The Day by WordThink
Erudite [er·u·dite] adj. Deep, extensive learning.
· Oil May Dive to $25 Next Year. Crude oil prices may crash below $25 a barrel next year and gas prices could fall below $1 a gallon if the global recession spreads to China, an energy analyst and CEO said Thursday.
· Paris jewelery thieves pull off $64 million heist. Armed robbers burst into a famed Paris jewellery store and snatched valuables including diamonds worth 50 million euros (64 million dollars), a source close to the enquiry said Friday.
· Would-Be-Bride Swept to Sea During Proposal. A romantic marriage proposal on the Oregon coast turned deadly for the bride-to-be when a wave swept her out to sea.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
· Feds clean up Bonds indictment, again. Federal prosecutors in San Francisco indicted Barry Bonds for a third time today, once again rewriting the charges facing the former Giants star to correct technical errors. Under the new indictment, Bonds is charged with 10 counts of lying under oath and one count of obstruction of justice, all in connection with the steroids scandal.
· Gun club, police chief indicted in boy's Uzi death. Three men, including a small-town police chief, were indicted Thursday on involuntary manslaughter counts in the gun-fair death of an 8-year-old who accidentally shot himself in the head with an Uzi that a prosecutor said he never should have been allowed to handle. The fair had promised shooters would have certified instructors, but the 8-year-old was supervised by an uncertified 15-year-old boy.
· Man sentenced in bizarre collar-bomb robbery plot. A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison in a deadly bank robbery plot - described by the judge in the case as "incredibly bizarre" - in which a pizza deliveryman died when a bomb affixed to his neck exploded.
· Paulson Considers 4.5% Mortgage Rates. The Treasury, which already has a program to buy mortgage- backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, could step up those purchases to drive down interest rates on some loans to 4.5 percent, the official said on condition of anonymity.
· Regis Philbin's insurer pays for damage to cruiser. Greenwich officials say Regis Philbin's insurance company will pay $2,700 for damage the celebrity caused when he backed his SUV into a town police car after attending a party and dining.
· Will Supreme Court take case on Obama's citizenship? The U.S. Supreme Court will consider Friday whether to take up a lawsuit challenging President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship, a continuation of a New Jersey case embraced by some opponents of Obama's election.
· Big Three Spending Millions On Lobbying. As Congress mulls over a bailout for U.S. automakers, some may be thinking about more than jobs and the economy. The auto industry spent nearly $50 million lobbying Congress in the first nine months alone.
· GM may pull plug on Saturn. General Motors Corp. launched its Saturn division in 1985 as a "different kind of car company," one given the task to sell cars in a new way and compete with Japanese juggernauts like Honda and Toyota. The idea, simply, was to make money on the small, economical vehicles that had always been losers for the Detroit giant.
· Mumbai Gunman Was Promised Cash for Family if Killed. The only gunman captured during the terror attack on Mumbai says he was promised that his impoverished family would get $1,250 if he died fighting for militant Islam, security officials said.
· Congresswoman Hangs Up On Obama. When a man sounding remarkably like the president-elect called a Florida congresswoman Wednesday, she assumed it was a crank call. It wasn't.
· Officials: Pakistan group leaders linked to attack. India has evidence that two senior leaders of a banned Pakistani militant group orchestrated the 60-hour siege of India's financial capital that killed 171 people, Indian officials said Thursday.
· Automakers May Go Bankrupt for Bailout. General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC are considering accepting a pre-arranged bankruptcy as the last-resort price of getting a multi-billion dollar government bailout, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing a person familiar with internal discussions.
· Mark Ruffalo's brother shot in Beverly Hills. A publicist for Mark Ruffalo says the actor's brother is fighting for his life after being shot in Beverly Hills.
· The strange defense of Phil Spector: He's scary. Since his murder retrial began a month ago, Phil Spector has heard himself described as a gun-obsessed boor with a mouth filthier than a truck stop restroom and mood swings as sharp and scary as a dagger. Surprisingly, this ugly portrait came courtesy not of prosecutors - although they've offered their own unflattering character sketch - but from the legendary music producer's own lawyer.
· Homeland Security chief warns that for Napolitano, tough job awaits. Outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Wednesday that his likely successor, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, will inherit an improving immigration situation but also will face smarter terrorists increasingly bent on using major high-tech weapons.
· Girl from iconic Great Depression photo: 'We were ashamed.' The photograph became an icon of the Great Depression: a migrant mother with her children burying their faces in her shoulder. Katherine McIntosh was 4 years old when the photo was snapped. She said it brought shame - and determination - to her family.
· Oil Prices Fall to $45 on Weak Economy. Oil prices sank to fresh 3-year lows Thursday in Asia as more bleak news from the world's largest economy signaled that crude could tumble below $40 by the end of the year.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
· Worker faces rap in Manhattan Court sex attacks. A city worker who supervised troubled teens raped and sexually abused underage girls inside the Manhattan Family Court building, prosecutors said Tuesday.
· Louisiana tops list of unhealthiest U.S. states. Louisiana has displaced Mississippi as the unhealthiest U.S. state and other Southern states were close rivals due to high obesity and smoking rates in new rankings that deemed Vermont the healthiest.
· Si se puede! Richardson accepts Commerce Secretary Job in Spanish. Gov. Bill Richardson is the first Hispanic named to Obama's cabinet. "Si se puede!" Richardson said, echoing Obama's supporters' "Yes we can!" mantra as he delivered a portion of his acceptance remarks in Spanish.
· Ala. county sets 'Barack Obama Day' as new holiday. A small central Alabama county whose mainly black residents gave Barack Obama more than 70 percent of the vote on Election Day has created an annual holiday in honor of the president-elect. The Perry County Commission voted 4 to 1 to observe the second Monday in November as "The Barack Obama Day." County offices will close and its roughly 40 workers will get a paid holiday.
· Atheist group posts “there is no God” display next to nativity scene. An atheist group has unveiled an anti-religion placard in the Washington state Capitol, joining a Christian Nativity scene and “holiday tree” on display during December. The placard reads: “At this season of the Winter Solstice may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds.“
· Aunt faces charges in shackled teen mystery. Police arrested a third suspect in the bizarre case of an emaciated, nearly naked teenager who is said to have escaped his captors and wandered into a gym with a shackle on his ankle, authorities said Wednesday.
· Newspaper 'Steals' Empire State Building in Just 90 Minutes. The New York Daily News drew up fake documents, created a bogus notary stamp and filed paperwork with the city and successfully took ownership of the $2 billion property on Monday. To further enhance the absurdity of the heist, included on the bogus paperwork were original "King Kong" star Fay Wray as witness and Willie Sutton, the notorious bank robber, as the notary.
· Sex abuse allegations against evangelist detailed. A federal indictment unsealed Tuesday accuses evangelist Tony Alamo of sexually abusing five girls on separate occasions beginning in 1994, including a period when he was serving a tax-evasion sentence at a halfway house in Texarkana.
· Man arrested for assaulting girlfriend with a sweet potato pie. A Florida man has been charged with domestic battery after authorities say he slammed a hot sweet potato pie in his girlfriend's face during the couple's Thanksgiving dinner. According to a Martin County Sheriff's Office report, 46-year-old Christopher Ford threw the pie because he didn't like the food.
· Polanski attorneys move to get case dismissed. Attorneys for Oscar-winning film director Roman Polanski are asking a California court to dismiss a 30-year-old sex offense case against him, claiming prosecutorial and judicial misconduct. "We are looking forward to seeing Mr. Polanski in court as the matter is litigated," said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office.
· Passengers kept in plane for 9-hours on runway. Dense fog forced Flight 670, en route to Los Angeles International Airport, to be diverted to Ontario International Airport about midnight, where it sat on the tarmac until mid-morning. Just why the passengers were forced to wait for so long on the cramped aircraft remained a matter of dispute Monday.
· Islamic fashion struts conservative catwalk. After years of turning heads with her riotously colorful frocks in Malaysia, fashion designer Tom Abang Saufi can't decide whether to shed a few shades on her batik dresses for the Middle East.
· Simon Cowell's lawyers warn press about harassment. Lawyers acting for The X Factor judge Simon Cowell have warned UK newspapers not to harass their client after a tracking device was allegedly found attached to his Rolls Royce last week.
· O.J. Simpson Facing 18 Year Prison Sentence. State authorities are recommending that O.J. Simpson and a co-defendant be sentenced to 18 years in prison for the gunpoint robbery and kidnapping of two sports memorabilia dealers, according to documents filed Tuesday.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
· Customers injured in crush suing Wal-Mart. Two customers are suing Wal-Mart for negligence after being injured in a mad rush for post-Thanksgiving bargains that left one store employee dead, the men's attorney said Tuesday.
· Big Three want more money in bailout. The plans included salary cuts for top executives, the sale of corporate jets by General Motors and Ford and the possible elimination of two GM brands - Pontiac and Saturn. But the Big Three are also now asking the government for as much as $34 billion instead of the $25 billion they originally wanted.
· Teens Charged In Nursing Home Abuse. A group of teenagers working at a Minnesota nursing home abused and sexually humiliated elderly residents suffering from Alzheimer's disease and dementia, prosecutors allege.
· Patrick Swayze denies reports he is near death. "Dirty Dancing" star Patrick Swayze, who has pancreatic cancer, on Tuesday denied tabloid stories that he is near death. Swayze, 56, said in a statement he was home with his family for the holidays after finishing work on his new television series "The Beast."
· Kmart worker shot helping coworker. Police say it started with an argument between a female employee and her boyfriend in the front of the store. The man, later identified as 30-year-old Anthony Birch, followed the woman into the store by way of the back loading dock, where the altercation continued. At some point Birch pulled out a gun and fired a shot. A male coworker came to the aid of the woman and he was subsequently shot.
· Colo. man charged with libel over Craigslist posts. A man accused of making unflattering online comments about his former lover and her attorney on Craigslist has been charged with two counts of criminal libel.
· Indictments against Cheney, Gonzales dismissed. A judge dismissed indictments against Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Monday and told the southern Texas prosecutor who brought the case to exercise caution as his term in office ends.
· Regulators reject FCC cell tower backup rules. Federal regulators have rejected proposed changes by the Federal Communications Commission that would require all U.S. cell phone towers to have at least eight hours of backup power. "We believe that having backup power for America's communications networks during times of emergency is vitally important for public safety," said FCC spokesman Robert Kenny.
· 1 in 5 young adults has personality disorder. Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.
· Former UCLA hospital worker admits selling records. A former employee of UCLA Medical Center pleaded guilty Monday to selling information from the medical records of celebrities and high-profile patients, including Britney Spears and Farrah Fawcett, to the National Enquirer.
· Big Three automakers to submit plans to Congress. Detroit's automakers, making a second bid for $25 billion in funding, are presenting Congress with plans Tuesday to restructure their ailing companies and provide assurances that the funding will help them survive and thrive.
· Kosher meat gets scarce after raid. The shortage of kosher meat is the result of the collapse of Agriprocessors Inc., formerly the largest kosher meatpacking company in the nation. In May, nearly 400 workers were arrested in an immigration raid at the company's Postville, Iowa, slaughterhouse.
· Shackled Emaciated Teen Runs To Gym. A missing teenager ran into a fitness center Monday with an inch-thick chain shackled to his ankle, and he may have been held captive, Tracy, Calif. police said.
Monday, December 1, 2008
· Jennifer Hudson's Brother-in-Law Arrested in Family Murders. Jennifer Hudson's estranged brother-in-law has just gone from "person of interest" to prime suspect in the slayings of her mother, brother and nephew.
· Dow plunges 680 points after recession confirmed. Stocks tumbled today, with fears about the economy driving a selloff as manufacturing slumped to a 26-year low and the U.S. economy was officially declared to be in a recession.
· Pirates attack cruise ship. A luxury cruise ship carrying 690 passengers and 386 crew has been attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia, en route to Oman. The ship was approached yesterday by two small skiffs which fired several shots. No one on board was hurt and Nautica's captain Jurica Brajcic was able to take evasive action and outrun the two boats.
· FBI arrests Birmingham mayor. Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford was arrested Monday and the 101-count indictment against him has been unsealed. This morning, U.S. Attorney Alice Martin announced that Langford, along with friend Al LaPierre and businessman Bill Blount, face charges of conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns.
· Husband Dies Trying to Save Pregnant Wife. A Farmington Hills man was killed Saturday morning after he was hit by his own car. The man got out of the car to help his pregnant wife after she fell getting into the couple's mini van.
· Ex-mayor's aide: 'I lied under oath.' The former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s chief of staff has reached a plea deal with prosecutors. She pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice.
· Obama: Clinton has my 'complete confidence.' Barack Obama today announced Sen. Hillary Clinton as his pick for secretary of state, calling her an "American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence." Obama also confirmed that he is keeping Defense Secretary Robert Gates in his current post.
· Man Dressed As Woman Fires Shots Inside Wal-Mart. A man dressed as a woman and wearing a wig fired shots inside an Orlando Wal-Mart during a robbery attempt, police said.
· Victim turns tables on robber, Tampa police say. If you're going to rob someone, putting down your gun is usually not a good idea. Tampa Police say 41-year-old Jerome Haggins walked into a home on Nebraska Avenue Saturday night around 11pm, and pointed a gun at the six men inside.
· N.J. road sign quotes Hitler, concerns motorists. A sign that quotes Adolf Hitler is causing a mild stir among motorists along county Route 565, especially because it was created by a member of the township Board of Education. One side of the sign reads, "Give me your childs mind and I will ... A. Hitler." The other side says, "If you love me teach my children," and on the next line, "Jesus."
· Mumbai cemetery won't bury gunmen. A Muslim graveyard has refused to bury nine gunmen who terrorized Mumbai over three days last week, leaving at least 172 people dead and wreaking havoc at some of its most famous landmarks. "People who committed this heinous crime cannot be called Muslim," said Hanif Nalkhande, a trustee. "Islam does not permit this sort of barbaric crime."
· Unprotected computers useless within two hours of going online. In just under two hours an unprotected computer was rendered unusable through online attacks in an experiment in today. The experiment was designed to show what a household with a computer put itself at risk of everyday, and was carried out by NetSafe and IBM.
· Madonna, Alex Rodriguez in Mexico City. New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was in the Mexican capital on the same weekend the pop star was performing there. When asked what he thought about being in the city at the same time as Madonna, Rodriguez said it was "very good," without elaborating.
· Car salesman allegedly passes out in vehicle borrowed from his employer. A 20-year-old car salesman is facing charges of drunk driving after he was found “passed out” in a vehicle he borrowed from his employer, according to an arrest affidavit released Sunday.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
· Sex invariably spells trouble, says Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual and temporal leader, on Friday said sex spelt fleeting satisfaction and trouble later, while chastity offered a better life and "more freedom."
· Denver family found dead in Aspen home. A founding partner of a Denver investment bank, his wife and their two children were found dead Friday in a house with high levels of carbon monoxide on an $8.9 million estate just east of Aspen.
· International hotels draw elites and terror threat. Consider how a city looks to a terrorist seeking targets. There's the airport — inviting, but heavily secured. There's the U.S. Embassy, perimeter guarded by crack local forces and Marines. And there's the plush international hotel, open to anyone with a decent outfit and money for a cup of coffee.
· 350,000 Illegal Immigrants Sent Home in 2008. Nationwide deportations have increased to nearly 350,000 immigrants sent home through September 2008. The trend is expected to continue. But experts and immigration officials aren't certain whether deportations — which affect less than 3 percent of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. this year — are an effective means of controlling that population.
· U.S. ‘Black Friday’ Sales Rise 3%. U.S. holiday retail sales increased 3 percent yesterday from a year earlier, research firm ShopperTrak said. Sales rose to $10.6 billion, the Chicago-based company said in a statement.
· Rosie Live DOA, Rosie Says. TV buff like Rosie O'Donnell knows the Nielsen score: Rosie Live ain't living on. Rosie Live, broadcast, yes, live on NBC on Wednesday, was billed not only as O'Donnell's return to TV after her public divorce from The View, but as TV's return to the random-guest-star ways of the variety genre.
· Desperate times call for taxing measures. Massachusetts is unleashing a fierce array of cyber tools and data-mining devices to chase down tax cheats who owe almost $2 billion to the state at a time when revenues are shrinking and the budget deficit has hit $1.4 billion.
· Deal on donors paves way for Clinton Cabinet post. President-elect Barack Obama planned to nominate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as his secretary of state on Monday, transforming a once-bitter political rivalry into a high-level strategic and diplomatic partnership.
· Captured terrorist's account of Mumbai massacre reveals plan was to kill 5,000. The only terrorist captured alive after the Mumbai massacre has given police the first full account of the extraordinary events that led to it – revealing he was ordered to ‘kill until the last breath’. Azam Amir Kasab, 21, from Pakistan, said the attacks were meticulously planned six months ago and were intended to kill 5,000 people.
· Taj Mahal hotel owner: We had warning. The Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India, temporarily increased security after being warned of a possible terrorist attack, the chairman of the company that owns the hotel said Saturday. But Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata said those measures, which were eased shortly before the terror attacks, could not have prevented gunmen from entering the hotel.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
· Plea Deal Offer To Charged Boy, 8. Prosecutors have offered a plea deal to an 8-year-old boy charged with murder in the shooting deaths of his father and another man in their St. Johns home.
· Police: Driver said 'shove' Maine seat belt law. A motorist protested Maine's seat belt law during a traffic stop by telling a police officer that Maine officials could "shove" the law in a specified body cavity.
· At the Santa Paula Airport, Steve McQueen was a pilot, not a celebrity. 'The Great Escape' superstar spent much of his last year living with his girlfriend in an airport hangar. Pilots remember him as a generous man who enjoyed quiet respect and cheap beer.
· Car tries to beat train by driving under crossing gate. A passenger train smashed into a sedan that drove into its path in central Florida on Friday night, killing three people in the car. The car drove past the crossing's lowered gates into the path of the train, police said.
· Girl Punched Dad During Spanking. A 16-year-old Florida girl who hit her father when he tried to spank her has been charged with misdemeanor domestic battery.
· Driver charged with DWI after dragging hydrant past police. Jeremy Aron was drunk Friday morning when he smashed his Subaru into a fire hydrant and dragged the hydrant past an off-duty police sergeant, police said.
· Police Chief Shoots Himself While Teaching Gun Safety. Police in southwestern Ohio say a police chief mistakenly shot himself in the thigh after giving his daughter a gun safety lesson.
· Update: Black Friday stampede broke down doors at Wal-Mart. A stampede of shoppers in a Valley Stream Wal-Mart on Friday morning left one worker dead and at least three patrons injured after an impatient crowd broke down the store doors and trampled an employee, police said. "This crowd was out of control," said Nassau Police Det. Michael Fleming, whose squad is investigating.
· Police looking for "savage" Wal-Mart shoppers. Police were reviewing video from surveillance cameras in an attempt to identify who trampled to death a Wal-Mart worker after a crowd of post-Thanksgiving shoppers burst through the doors at a suburban store and knocked him down, leaving a metal portion of the door frame crumpled like an accordion. Kimberly Cribbs, who witnessed the stampede, said shoppers were acting like "savages."
· Survey: French Men Say They Need Bigger Condoms. The French say they need the largest condoms in Europe while Greeks get by on smaller ones, according to a Europe-wide study by a German firm that provides advice on condoms.
· Attacker Beaten With Candy Cane. A man who allegedly threatened neighbors with a knife on Thanksgiving was beaten with a large decorative candy cane wielded by a bystander, Sacramento police said.
· Girl Scouts fighting to stay relevant, hip. After almost 100 years, Girl Scouts are fighting to stay relevant and hip. Shuttering camps is a difficult and emotional side effect of an ambitious plan to streamline Girl Scouts and roll out a whole new "leadership" program to revive interest in the 2.6 million-girl organization. With membership falling by 250,000 in just five years, the Scouts are doing a lot of soul searching.
· OPEC struggles to find balance in oil market. Ministers from Arab oil-producing countries met here Saturday ahead of an emergency gathering of the larger OPEC cartel to find a way to stem plunging energy prices caused by plummeting demand amid the global economic meltdown. "There is total confusion... They basically thrive when oil prices go up, and now they are crying uncle when prices go down."
· Black Friday traffic takes down Sears.com. Sears.com was inaccessible to U.S. shoppers for two hours on Friday in what was the most notable Web hiccup of the holiday gift-buying season's official start. Other sites, including Amazon.com Inc., experienced minor slowdowns.
· Indian forces kill last gunmen in Mumbai. Indian commandos killed the last remaining gunmen holed up at a luxury Mumbai hotel Saturday, ending a 60-hour rampage through India's financial capital by suspected Islamic militants that killed 195 people and rocked the nation.
Friday, November 28, 2008
· Qantas jet turns back after offshore service center forgot to put oil in motor. A Qantas jet serviced days ago in Hong Kong had to turn back to Perth yesterday when an engine oil warning light flashed in the Airbus A330 cockpit. Aviation sources said the engine starter motor sheared off because no oil had been put into the motor after its overhaul.
· Update: 2 Shot Dead at California Toys R Us. Two men were shot and killed Friday inside a Toys R Us in Palm Desert, Calif., during a confrontation apparently involving rival groups, officials said.
· Stocks Have Best 5 Days in 75 Years. Stocks rose again in light post-Thanksgiving trading, logging their best five-day streak in 75 years.
· Worker dies at Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede. A Wal-Mart employee died and four others were hurt in the Black Friday rush to get into the Valley Stream store this morning. The injuries occurred as the shoppers crammed into the Wal-Mart when the doors opened at 5 a.m. Some 2,000 shoppers were waiting to get inside the store for Black Friday sales.
· Winona Ryder "loses" $125,000 worth of jewelry. Sticky-fingered actress Winona Ryder mysteriously lost a diamond-encrusted bracelet and ring worth more than $125,000 on loan to her, according to the New York Post.
· Judge says perfume lawsuit can proceed. A city of Detroit planner can proceed with her lawsuit alleging a co-worker's perfume made it difficult for her to breathe and impossible to do her job, a federal judge has ruled.
· Cop wins huge award after chair he sat in broke, sending bullet into his leg. A veteran NYPD detective who accidentally put a bullet in his knee after he stumbled out of a busted chair in a Brooklyn station house hobbled away last week with a cool $4.5 million jury verdict.
· Nearly half of Mexican cops fail police tests. Almost half of Mexican police officers examined this year have failed background and security tests, a figure that rises to nearly 9 of 10 cops in the border state of Baja California, the government reported.
· 3 Shot In Violent Dunkin' Donuts Robbery. Authorities are looking for a group of armed men who staged a violent robbery at a Dunkin' Donuts in Delray Beach. Police spokesman Jeff Messer said three people were shot Wednesday night but are expected to recover.
· Man Punished With Work for Throwing Pie at Vermont Governor. A man who hit Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas in the face with a pie during an Independence Day parade in Montpelier will spend five days on a work crew for the stunt.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
· Here they are - the Top 10 Political Turkeys of 2008. November 27 may be Turkey Day in America, but in the world of politics, every day is turkey day. Turkeys are foolish creatures - overstuffed, noisy and self-important. A lot like the politicians on the list of Turkeys of the Year.
· Rosie O'Donnell's show flops on NBC. The network's attempt to revive the primetime variety show failed to draw an audience Wednesday night, with Rosie O'Donnell tying for the evening's lowest-rated program.
· Football fan says bathroom sex scandal "ruined my life." A 38-year-old married Iowa woman who was caught having sex with a 26-year-old stranger in the men's room at an Iowa Hawkeye football game in Minneapolis last weekend says she’d had so much wine before kickoff that she doesn’t remember walking into the restroom, the man she had sex with in a stall, or when the police opened the door.
· Lawsuit claims man was dragged from his home and charged with public intoxication. A Roanoke man is asking for $10 million in a lawsuit that says city police officers improperly arrested him. According to the lawsuit, officers pushed their way into his house, seized George William Roberts, dragged him outside and charged him with being drunk in public.
· Cranky kid crashes teacher's car. An eight-year-old German schoolboy who wanted to complain to his mother about being sent out of class took his teacher's car and crashed it.
· Man Arrested in Gruesome Killing of Ark. TV Anchorwoman. Police on Wednesday arrested a man on a capital murder charge in the beating death of a popular television anchorwoman but offered neither a motive behind the attack nor details about why they suspected him.
· Things You Didn't Know About Thanksgiving. In 1953, someone at Swanson overestimated the amount of turkey Americans would consume that Thanksgiving. With 260 tons of frozen birds to get rid of, a company salesman named Gerry Thomas ordered 5,000 aluminum trays and created the first-ever TV dinner.
· Tip, DNA lead to arrest in student's slaying. Police in Reno, Nevada, say they have solved one of their most haunting cold cases, arresting a construction worker in the slaying of 19-year-old college student Brianna Denison.
· Nichols Shot Court Reporter Over Baked Goods. Court reporter Julie Brandau baked homemade treats for the jurors in Judge Rowland Barnes' courtroom - an act that cost Brandau her life at the hands of Brian Nichols.
· Thief uses lubricant to swipe ring on woman's hand. Police said a thief used a Vaseline-like lubricant to swipe an expensive ring off an elderly woman's hand in broad daylight. Authorities said two men bumped 80-year-old Helen Artim's car, then asked her to open her trunk to check for damage.
· GM Said to Study Shedding Saab, Saturn, Pontiac to Win U.S. Aid. General Motors Corp., working to cut costs to win $12 billion in government loans, is studying whether to shed its Saturn, Saab and Pontiac brands in addition to Hummer, people familiar with the matter said.
· GM Asks U.S. FAA to Bar Public Tracking of Leased Corporate Jet. General Motors Corp., criticized by U.S. lawmakers for its use of corporate jets, asked aviation regulators to block the public’s ability to track a plane it uses.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
· Carnage in India; hotels under siege. Gunmen have targeted nine locations in south Mumbai, including two luxury hotels. A state spokesman put the death toll at 78. Gunmen are holding hostages at the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, police said. One witness told reporters gunmen had tried to find people with U.S. or British passports.
· NY subway terror threat emerges on busy travel day. Police bolstered security in subways and trains Wednesday after the government warned that al-Qaida suicide bombers were contemplating an attack on New York's mass-transit systems during the holiday season.
· Jury convicts mom of lesser charges in online hoax. A Missouri mother on trial in a landmark cyberbullying case was convicted Wednesday of three minor offenses instead of the main conspiracy charge in a cruel Internet hoax that apparently drove a 13-year-old girl to suicide.
· Men guilty over fake penis scam. The makers of a prosthetic penis to help men cheat on drugs tests have pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy in a US federal court. The device was sold with a heating element and fake urine to help people test negative for illegal substances.
· Cash-Strapped NYC Goes On Ticket Blitz, Adding 200 New Traffic Agents. New York City's latest move to close the budget gap is annoying New Yorkers to no end. Soon, you may not be able to avoid the police no matter what you do. The city is putting 200 more ticket-writing traffic agents to work.
· South Korea seeks to jail actress for adultery. South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday demanded a popular actress who tried to overturn the country's law that criminalizes adultery be thrown in jail for a year and a half for having an affair, local media reported.
· Teacher accused of punching student, police say. An elementary school teacher was arrested for punching an 8-year-old student in the face this month, Fort Lauderdale police said.
· Accused drunk driver ends up running over himself. A 21-year-old man was accused of driving drunk and leading police on a chase that finally ended with him running over himself. The man was treated for minor injuries at a Santa Fe hospital.
· Americans' Food Stamp Use Nears All-Time High. Fueled by rising unemployment and food prices, the number of Americans on food stamps is poised to exceed 30 million for the first time this month, surpassing the historic high set in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.
· Volcker to head board of economic experts. President-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday will announce that Paul Volcker will head a new economic recovery board, two sources close to the transition team tell CNN.
· "Butt Bandit" Case Cracked. Nebraska's notorious "butt bandit" was charged today with a public indecency spree in which he allegedly lathered his private parts in baby lotion and then left "butt and penis prints on local business windows" all over town.
· Destroyed Pirate 'Mother Ship' Actually Thai Boat. The pirate "mother ship" sunk last week by the Indian navy was actually a Thai fishing trawler that had been commandeered hours earlier by pirates, an international maritime agency said Wednesday.
· Dad raped daughters for 27 years. A British man was jailed Tuesday for raping two of his daughters and fathering nine children over 27 years, a case with echoes of Austria's Josef Fritzl. The two daughters were made pregnant 19 times; there were nine births, five miscarriages and five terminations.
· Astronaut's Lost Toolbag Visible From Earth. Remember that $100,000 bag of tools a spacewalking astronaut let go of last week? Now you can see it from Earth — if you've got a telescope.
· Burke crowned 'Dancing with the Stars' queen. Brooke Burke waltzed away with the mirror ball trophy on the "Dancing with the Stars" finale. The 37-year-old TV personality and mother of four dominated the seventh season of the popular ABC dancing competition.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
· New Orleans has highest U.S. city crime rate. New Orleans had the highest crime rate of any U.S. city last year, with 209 murders and more than 19,000 reported criminal incidents.
· Natalee Holloway sold to Venezuelan, Joran says. Disappeared US teenager Natalee Holloway was taken to an Aruba beach by Joran van der Sloot and sold there to a Venezuelan man who 'wanted a blonde girl,' Joran Van der Sloot said.
· Former TV Anchor Gets 3 Years Probation in E-Mail Snooping Case. A popular TV newsman has been sentenced to three years of probation for obsessively hacking into his co-anchor's e-mail and leaking gossip about her to the press. Larry Mendte admitted hacking into Alycia Lane's e-mail hundreds of times.
· Daughter convinces President Bush to pardon her dad. A Conroe, Texas man can thank his daughter - and her homework assignment - for his presidential pardon. Danny Pue was among 14 people pardoned by President Bush Monday afternoon.
· Dubai 'sex-on-beach' couple escape jail term. A British couple convicted for having sex on a public beach in Dubai will not face jail after a judge suspended their prison sentences, their lawyer said Tuesday.
· NJ church shooting suspect captured in Georgia. A California man accused of driving to New Jersey and fatally shooting his estranged wife and another man inside a church has been captured in Georgia.
· Jet pack pilot flies across 1,500-foot-wide canyon. A daredevil wearing a jet pack has flown across a 1,500-foot-wide canyon in southern Colorado. The sponsoring Go Fast Sports & Beverage says Eric Scott took 21 seconds to cross the Royal Gorge at 75 mph on Monday.
· Freed sailors: 'Pirates are animals.' Five Indian sailors who were among the crew of a Japanese-owned cargo ship hijacked by pirates and held for two months before a ransom was paid said Monday their captivity was "total desperation."
· Vick hoping to move closer to freedom with plea. Michael Vick arrived in a suit and shackles for a court appearance Tuesday where he was expected to plead guilty to state dogfighting charges, a necessary step to make him eligible for early release.
Monday, November 24, 2008
· Mother: I Flushed Newborn Down Toilet by Accident. A woman has told a British court she accidentally flushed her newborn down the toilet because she didn't realize she was giving birth.
· GM ends 9-year endorsement deal with Tiger Woods. General Motors Corp. said Monday it is ending its nine-year endorsement deal with golf superstar Tiger Woods as the automaker continues to cut expenses and hoard cash while trying to survive the worst sales downturn in a quarter-century.
· Facebook wins $873M judgment against spammer. Facebook has won a $873 million judgment against a Canadian man who bombarded users with millions of unsolicited messages about drugs and sex.
· One Half of ‘Hannity & Colmes’ Is Leaving. “Hannity & Colmes” will soon be without “Colmes.” Alan Colmes, the longtime liberal half of the Fox News prime time program, will leave the show at the end of the year, the network announced Monday. His departure will represent a major change to Fox’s evening lineup.
· Billionaire Club Goes Broke. Running out of money may seem unlikely for a private resort whose members includes billionaire Bill Gates and Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, but that's the fate that will befall the ultra-exclusive Yellowstone Club this week unless it can line up another loan.
· Anthonys Say They Feel Ambushed By Taping, Release Of FBI Interviews. "That distinct odor, that's something you don't forget," George Anthony said in the FBI interview. "I believe something was placed in the back of that trunk. I don't want to believe it was my granddaughter." George Anthony also said in the interview that his daughter had lied.
· N.Y. Christmas Boat Parade Changes Name, Loses Fans. An annual parade of boats on a Long Island river that dropped "Christmas" from its name has apparently lost lots of supporters. The change was made after some residents complained the name wasn't inclusive enough.
· Army post sees new cases of sex misconduct. Twelve years after a military sex scandal that led to changes in Army training, Fort Leonard Wood has seen stream of cases in which drill sergeants have been accused of sexual misconduct with female trainees.
· Mystery piano in woods perplexes police. Authorities in Harwich, Massachusetts, are probing the mysterious appearance of a piano, in good working condition, in the middle of the woods.
· Man shot by dog recovering. Henry Marcum has nothing but kind words for the dog that shot his 23-year-old son this weekend. Marcum says his son, Matthew, was standing in Tillamook Bay at the start of duck-hunting trip when his dog jumped into the boat, setting off a 12-gauge shotgun.
· Man Killed at Scientology Center Had Church Ties. Police said a man who waved a pair of Samurai swords on the grounds of a Hollywood Scientology building had a "previous relationship" to the church, but released little other information about the man shot and killed by a security guard.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
· Update: Screen Actors Guild to seek strike authorization. The Screen Actors Guild said Saturday it will ask its members to authorize a strike. The producers' alliance condemned the SAG decision and said it remains the only major Hollywood guild without a labor deal this year. "Now, SAG is bizarrely asking its members to bail out the failed negotiating strategy with a strike vote - at a time of historic economic crisis," a producers' statement said. "The tone-deafness of SAG is stunning."
· Disgraced pastor returns, as Christian insurance salesman. Ted Haggard, the former superstar pastor disgraced two years ago in a sex-and-drugs scandal, has returned - this time as a Christian insurance salesman.
· 'Dinner Impossible' does the improbable. After getting dumped from Food Network's "Dinner: Impossible" series in March following revelations that he'd exaggerated details of his resume, Robert Irvine is making a comeback on the same show.
· NYC Churches Ordered Not To Shelter Homeless. City officials have ordered 22 New York churches to stop providing beds to homeless people.
· Ark. man sentenced for killing slow hairdresser. An Arkansas man has been sentenced to prison for fatally shooting a stylist who was taking too long to braid his hair.
· We Seek Snitches, Albuquerque Police Want Ad Says. An ad this week in a local newspaper asks "people who hang out with crooks" to do part-time work for the police. It reads in part: "Make some extra cash! Drug use and criminal record OK."
· 31 year-old Maine teacher is found guilty of having sex with a 13 year-old, gets 30 day sentence. A former teacher at a Lubec elementary school was sentenced Friday in Washington County Superior Court to 30 days in jail for having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old.
· Maine Store's Alleged Obama Assassination Pool Sparks National Outcry. The owner of a Maine store has sparked intense outcry over a sign that invited customers to bet on a date when President-elect Barack Obama would be assassinated.
· Casey Listed 'Nanny' As Job On Resume. In an interview with FBI investigators, George Anthony said that his daughter, Casey Anthony, listed "nanny" as one of her jobs on a resume. Casey Anthony, 22, is jailed on first-degree murder charges in the disappearance of her 3-year-old daughter, Caylee, who was last seen in mid-June.
· Greeley mayor shows student $3 Obama bill. Greeley Mayor Ed Clark, a former police officer who also is the head of security at the University Schools charter school, said today that he has apologized to the family of a student that he showed the bill to. According to the Greeley Tribune, the fake $3 bill is emblazoned with an image of Obama wearing a Middle Eastern headdress Clark describes as a "prince's hat."
· Astronauts try to work out kinks in urine machine. Astronauts hope they have a solution for getting a pivotal piece of equipment working so it can convert urine and sweat into drinkable water and allow the international space station to grow to six crew members.
· Missing Teenage Girl Found in Illinois Teacher's Closet. A missing 17-year-old girl was found hiding in a closet at a male teacher's home near Chicago after he told police he didn't know where she was.
· Schools chief who won TV prize bankrupt. Just months after winning and then giving away $1 million, School Superintendent Kathy Cox and her husband filed for bankruptcy.
· Slain Florida Mom Dialed 911 From Car Trunk. A young mother called 911 from the trunk of a car before she was found slain in an abandoned home, police said.
Satuday, November 22, 2008
· Teen abandoned in Nebraska hours before law change. A 14-year-old boy from Yolo County, Calif., was left at a hospital in Kimball, Nebraska on Friday, just hours before the state Safe Haven law changed to limit legal abandonments to babies 30 days old or younger.
· Saudi royals "shot in arm" for home of Mayo Clinic. Rochester officials say members of Saudi Arabia's royal family spent enough during a visit to the Mayo Clinic to give the area's economy a shot in the arm. Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Brad Jones says a conservative estimate of the royal family's spending is up to $1.5 million.
· Jimmy Connors arrested in Santa Barbara. Tennis great Jimmy Connors was arrested outside the campus arena where UC Santa Barbara and top-ranked North Carolina were playing a basketball game.
· Pirates release tanker hijacked in September. Somali pirates have released a hijacked Greek-owned tanker with all 19 crew safe and the oil cargo intact, Greece's Merchant Marine Ministry said Saturday. The ship's management company said a ransom was paid but did not say how much.
· Update: Prosecutor who had Cheney indicted yells at judge. A county prosecutor who brought indictments this week against Vice President Dick Cheney and others pounded his fist and shouted at the judge Friday during a routine hearing.
· Fla. student arrested for passing gas at school. According to a report released Friday by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, the 13-year-old boy “continually disrupted his classroom environment” by intentionally breaking wind.
· Sex-crimes prosecutor accused of raping colleague. A sex-crimes prosecutor in California has pleaded not guilty to tying up and raping a colleague while threatening her with an ice pick and a handgun.
· Travis Barker sues over plane crash. Travis Barker has filed a lawsuit blaming the pilots and defective equipment for a crash that severely injured the rocker and DJ AM and killed four others.
· Obama outlines rebuilding plans to create jobs. President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday outlined his plan to create 2.5 million jobs in coming years to rebuild roads and bridges and modernize schools while developing alternative energy sources and more efficient cars.
· Hollywood actors guild to seek strike. The Screen Actors Guild said Saturday it will ask its members to authorize a strike after its first contract talks in four months with Hollywood studios failed despite the help of a federal mediator. SAG represents more than 120,000 actors in movies, television and other media.
· Kin outraged, distraught over teen's cyber suicide. The family of a college student who killed himself live on the Internet say they're horrified his life ended before a virtual audience, and infuriated that viewers of the live webcam or operators of the Web site that hosted it didn't act sooner to save him. "Some members of his virtual audience encouraged him to do it, others tried to talk him out of it, and some discussed whether he was taking a dose big enough to kill himself."
· Mortgage meltdown results in pets going to pound. Furry signs of a down-trending economy peer dolefully from every kennel at the Broward County Humane Society shelter in Florida and hundreds of others across the country.
· Top Republican says Obama "off to a good start." A top Republican said on Friday that Democratic U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is "off to a good start" and indicated he was pleased to see President George W. Bush get ready to leave.
· Space Tourist Wants $21 Million Back for Canceled Mission. Japanese millionaire Daisuke Enomoto had planned to dress up as his favorite cartoon character in outer space and spent $21 million to make it happen. Now he claims the company that was supposed make his dream come true brushed him aside with little more than a "sorry, no refunds."
· Paul Newman's will includes wife, foundation. Paul Newman has left the assets to his wife, the Oscars to his foundation and the race cars to the highest bidder.
· U.S. Develops Tiny Flying Robots. U.S. military engineers are trying to design flying robots disguised as insects that could one day spy on enemies and conduct dangerous missions without risking lives.
Friday, November 21, 2008
· NY elementary school is renamed for Obama. It was only a matter of time. A New York school has been renamed in honor of President-elect Barack Obama.
· GM to return two leased jets amid criticism. General Motors Corp will return two of its leased corporate jets amid intense criticism in Washington this week on the luxury travel arrangements of its chief executive even as the company pleads for federal aid.
· Boston city councilor arrested for taking bribe. A Boston City Council member has been arrested for allegedly taking a $1,000 bribe from a person he believed was a businessman, then lying to FBI officials. Last month, former state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson was arrested for allegedly taking $23,500 in bribes from undercover agents.
· Teacher chokes kid, charges dropped. Parents of 10-year-old Keenan Dixon are outraged, because child abuse charges are being dropped against his music teacher Robert Nicholson. Nicholson was arrested last month after he admitted he choked the boy and carried him six feet during music class.
· Horror as teenager commits suicide online. A 19-year-old man has committed suicide live on the internet encouraged by others who were watching, according to reports. The teenager, named as Abraham K Biggs, from Broward County, Florida, took an overdose of pills while broadcasting himself on Justin.tv, a live video streaming website.
· Ashlee Simpson gives birth to 'Bronx Mowgli.' Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and husband Pete Wentz welcomed son Bronx Mowgli Wentz Thursday night.
· Cell Phone in Man's Chest Pocket Stops Bullet. A man says his cell phone saved his life. A stray .45-caliber bullet hit R.J. Richard's chest while he was mowing the lawn — hitting so hard he thought it was a stone kicked out by his tractor. He pulled out the phone.
· West Virginia Officer Fired for Using Taser on Pregnant Teen, Firefighter. A Kanawha County police officer has been fired after he admitted using a Taser on a pregnant teenager and a firefighter.
· Verizon staff had unauthorized access to Obama's cell. Records from a cell phone used by President-elect Obama were improperly breached, apparently by employees of the cell phone company, Verizon Wireless said Thursday.
· Man who got head stuck in vent charged with trespassing. The man who got his head stuck in a vent on the roof of a Des Plaines restaurant and nearly died has been charged with one count of criminal trespassing and one count of criminal damage, Des Plaines police said on Thursday.
· Anthony Family Attorney Resigns. The attorney representing George and Cindy Anthony, the parents of Casey Anthony, who is charged with first-degree murder in the disappearance of her daughter, Caylee, resigned, saying he didn't have the control over the case or his clients that he needed to be effective.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
· Democrats demand Big 3 offer survival plan. Democratic congressional leaders seeking to salvage a bailout of the Big Three automakers demanded car executives provide a business survival plan on Thursday in exchange for their support for up to $25 billion in loans.
· Copyright claim to university's name `baffling.' Robert Lutczyk, who sits on both the Oshawa and Durham Region councils, registered a copyright for "University of Ontario Institute of Technology" in 2005 and has recently forbidden several newspapers from printing the phrase under threat of legal action.
· Drunk drivers flood hospital ERs, escape DWI charges. By some estimates, 50 percent of the people brought to the ER are legally too drunk to drive but ER doctors are not required to run blood alcohol tests. Under a 60-year-old federal statute, insurance companies can deny payment for treatment of injuries caused by intoxication, so many hospitals would be penalized for running blood alcohol tests.
· Taco Bell lawyers get tough with rapper 50 Cent. Rapper 50 Cent is facing a challenge to his street cred — from Taco Bell. The squabble is over a fake letter sent out by Taco Bell Corp. asking 50 Cent to change his name for one day to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent to help publicize its value menu.
· eHarmony to Provide Gay Dating Service After Lawsuit. Online dating site eHarmony will create a service for same-sex matching in a settlement of a 2005 complaint that the company's failure to offer such a service was discriminatory.
· Co-pilot had breakdown, flight attendant helped land jet. An Air Canada co-pilot having a mental breakdown had to be forcibly removed from the cockpit, restrained and sedated, and a flight attendant with flying experience helped the pilot safely make an emergency landing.
· Texas Teacher Arrested for Giving Topless Photo to Boy, 14. A 27-year-old woman has been arrested on charges of distributing harmful material to a minor after a 14-year-old's parents found a topless photo of her on his cell phone.
· Astronaut Who Lost Tool Bag Admits Mistake. The astronaut who lost her tool bag on a spacewalk admitted that she made a mistake and said she should have checked to make sure it was tied down. The backpack-size item was one of the largest things ever lost on a spacewalk.
· Possible New Witness in Natalee Holloway Case. A new witness has come forward in the 2005 disappearance of American teenager Natalee Holloway, bringing a Dutch college student back into the spotlight as a prime suspect.
· Calif. Supreme Court to take up gay marriage ban. California's highest court agreed Wednesday to hear several legal challenges to the state's new ban on same-sex marriage but refused to allow gay couples to resume marrying before it rules.
· Boy accused in dad's killing gets holiday break. An 8-year-old suspected of killing his father and another man will be allowed to leave a juvenile jail for 48 hours to spend Thanksgiving with his mother, a judge ruled. Police said the boy confessed to shooting the men, and a tape of the interrogation was released.
· Dead Teen's Mom Testifies in MySpace Suicide Trial. The grieving mother of a Missouri girl told a jury Wednesday how her daughter hanged herself with a belt after receiving cruel messages on her MySpace account, some of which were from a boy whose identity was later revealed to have been invented by a neighbor.
· Detroit School Superintendent asked to cut her personal security budget. Two armed police officers currently escort Detroit Public School (DPS) Superintendent Connie Calloway all around the city and state. The DPS superintendent's security unit is the most extensive in the country and exceeds that of school leaders in districts four to eleven larger such as Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
· Big Three auto CEOs flew private jets to ask for taxpayer money. Some lawmakers lashed out at the CEOs of the Big Three auto companies Wednesday for flying private jets to Washington to request taxpayer bailout money. "There is a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington, D.C., and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hand, saying that they're going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses," Rep. Gary Ackerman said.
· Microsoft: No Yahoo buyout deal. Microsoft Corp. is no longer interested in buying all of Yahoo Inc., CEO Steve Ballmer said Wednesday. "Let me be clear," Ballmer said at Microsoft's annual shareholder meeting. "We are done with all acquisition discussions with Yahoo." His comments sent Yahoo shares diving by 20 percent to $9.22. Microsoft had earlier offered $33 per share before being rejected by Yahoo.
· Spitzer hooker: 'My Side of the Story.' Ashley Dupre, the 23-year-old former escort who was the target of intense media scrutiny in the days after Gov. Eliot Spitzer's resignation from public office, has stepped forward to give her first television interview.
· Man Faces Battery Charges for Hitting Girlfriend With Sandwich. A man faces a domestic battery charge after allegedly hitting his girlfriend with a sandwich as she was driving.
· Court Upholds 'In God We Trust' Plate. The Indiana Court of Appeals issued a ruling Monday that affirmed Indiana's "In God We Trust" plates are constitutional.
· Kansas City Student Could Face Charges for Hugging School Social Worker. A junior high school student could be charged with sexual battery after allegedly giving a school social worker an "inappropriate" hug, MyFOXKC.com reported. The employee at Chisholm Trail Junior High School told an assistant principal that the 13-year-old boy embraced her in a way that made her uncomfortable, according to police.
· FBI Agent Slain Serving Drug Warrant In Pittsburgh Suburb. An FBI agent was shot to death at an Indiana Township home during a large, regionwide drug bust early Wednesday morning, and the homeowner was taken to a hospital in police custody.
· Student bonfire blamed for Los Angeles wildfire. A group of college students who lit a ridge-top bonfire are being accused of accidentally sparking one of a trio of once-ferocious wildfires that collectively destroyed about 1,000 homes and blacked more than 65 square miles. The students, aged between 18 and 22, apparently believed they had put out the fire before leaving.
· Ted Stevens' defeat in Alaska marks end of an era. On the day the longest-serving Republican in Senate history turned 85, Sen. Ted Stevens was ousted by Alaska voters troubled by his conviction on federal felony charges and eager for a new direction in Washington, where Stevens served since Lyndon B. Johnson was president.
· Astronaut loses tool bag during spacewalk. Things didn't go quite according to plan for astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper during her spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Tuesday. First, a grease gun inside her tool bag leaked, coating everything inside with a film of lubricant. While she was trying to clean it up in the absence of gravity, the whole bag floated away.
· Update: Pirate 'mother ship' destroyed, official says. An Indian warship has exchanged fire with a pirate "mother vessel" off the hijacking-plagued Horn of Africa, leaving the ship ablaze in the Gulf of Aden, an official said Wednesday.
· Boy, 8, gives taped account in shooting deaths. An 8-year-old Arizona boy suspected in the deaths of his father and another man can be heard in a videotape of his police interview telling officers that he shot both men after he came home from school.
· Oil groups expect $40 barrel. The world’s national oil companies expect oil prices to fall further and will cancel most planned investment projects even at current levels, according to the head of a Chinese state-owned group.
· World leaders powerless to act against pirates. Somali pirates struck again yesterday, seizing an Iranian cargo ship holding 30,000 tons of grain, as the world’s governments and navies pronounced themselves powerless against this new threat to global trade.
· Wal-Mart truck used to smuggle immigrants. Four illegal immigrants were found in the back of a Wal-Mart truck, and the driver and two alleged accomplices were accused of trying to smuggle them through a Border Patrol checkpoint.
· Vice President indicted by Willacy County grand jury. A Willacy County, Texas grand jury under District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra returned multi-count indictments Monday against Vice President Dick Cheney, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, plus several other public officials. They all face a stream of criminal charges including abuse of office, profiting from office, and murder.
· Blind woman threatened with suit over 1-cent. A 74-year-old blind woman was shocked when her daughter found a letter from the Massachusetts city saying a lien would be placed on her home unless she paid an overdue water bill. The amount? 1 cent.
· Drew Peterson meets with divorce lawyer. Drew Peterson has met with a prominent divorce attorney more than a year after his wife, Stacy, disappeared, his lawyer confirmed today.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
· Kansas Preacher Pushes Obama Muslim Message. A Wichita, Kansas preacher says he will not remove a message on his church sign that says President-Elect Barack Obama is a Muslim. The sign is staying up despite the fact that Obama is a Christian.
· Former Obama opponent now suing to prove President-elect's citizenship. Former presidential candidate Alan Keyes and other members of the party have filed suit in California Superior Court in Sacramento to stop the state from giving its electoral votes to President-elect Barack Obama until documentary evidence is provided to prove Obama is indeed a natural born citizen of the United States.
· After more than 400 lawsuits, disabled man can sue no more. Jarek Molski filed more than 400 suits under the Americans With Disabilities Act before a federal judge barred him from future litigation. The judge branded Molski a "hit-and-run plaintiff," accusing him of systematic extortion of businesses across California. Molski, who has used a wheelchair since a motorcycle accident two decades ago, sued restaurants, bowling alleys, wineries and other retail outlets for insufficient handicapped parking, misplaced handrails and other violations.
· Convicted Ex-Border Agents Hope for Pardons From Bush. Supporters of two former Border Patrol agents facing years in prison for the shooting of a fleeing drug smuggler are urging President Bush to commute their sentences. And if that fails, their lawyers plan to take their case to the Supreme Court.
· Update: Yahoo CEO finally sees shares rise. Yahoo shares added as much as $1.91 or 18 percent to the equivalent of $12.54 in Frankfurt from the close of $10.63 in U.S. trading yesterday, after CEO Jerry Yang announced he was stepping down.
· Oregon Woman Loses $400,000 to Nigerian E-Mail Scam. An Oregon woman who is out $400,000 after falling for a well-known Internet scam says she wasn't a sucker or an easy mark. Janella Spears of Sweet Home says she simply became curious when she received an e-mail promising her $20.5 million if she would only help out a long-lost relative identified as J.B. Spears with a little money up front.
· Homeless man fined $100 million over California fires. A homeless man has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison and ordered to pay more than $100 million for starting two fires, including one that burned more than 66,000 acrea in California two years ago.
· Half of nation's docs want to quit, survey says. Nearly half the respondents in a survey of U.S. primary care physicians said that they would seriously consider getting out of the medical business within the next three years if they had an alternative. Many said they are overwhelmed with red tape from insurance companies and government agencies.
· Big Three beg for aid as bailout bill stalls. Detroit's Big Three auto makers are begging Congress for a $25 billion government rescue, while the legislation clings to life support on Capitol Hill and top lawmakers and the White House suffer from bailout fatigue.
· Update: Pirates Make Contact With Owner of Oil Supertanker. Somali pirates who hijacked an oil super tanker yesterday have begun to negotiate with the vessel’s owners and have taken the ship toward the pirate haven of Eyl, the U.S. Navy said Tuesday. The Saudi-owned Sirius Star, which was carrying two million barrels of oil valued at $100 million was captured with its multi-national crew.
· Goodwill finds, returns $7,500 left in old shoebox. It took some fancy footwork, but a Goodwill store in Illinois has found the owner of $7,500 in cash who mistakenly turned over the money with a donation of old shoes.
Monday, November 17, 2008
· Stalemate dims prospects for $25B auto bailout . Prospects dimmed Monday for enactment of a $25 billion bailout for the faltering auto industry before year's end, as congressional Democrats and the Bush administration seemed headed for a stalemate.
· Somali pirates hijack Saudi tanker loaded with oil. In a dramatic escalation of high seas crime, Somali pirates hijacked a Saudi supertanker loaded with crude hundreds of miles off the coast of East Africa - defeating the security web of warships trying to protect vital shipping lanes.
· Jerry Yang out at Yahoo. Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang will step down from his job as CEO, said sources close to the company. Yahoo (YHOO) will announce the move this evening.
· "Back to the Future" star loses $11 million house to fires. Christopher Lloyd picked through the charred remnants of his Montecito, California, home Monday morning, resigning himself to the fact it cannot be rebuilt. The "Back to the Future" and "Taxi" star showed ABC's "Good Morning America" what remained of his $11 million home in the exclusive celebrity neighborhood northwest of Los Angeles.
· Thousands of illegal immigrants freed from Texas jails. A review of thousands of criminal and immigration records shows that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials didn't file the paperwork to detain roughly 75 percent of the more than 3,500 inmates who told jailers during the booking process that they were in the U.S. illegally. Hundreds of convicted felons — including child molesters, rapists and drug dealers — also managed to avoid deportation after serving time in Harris County's jails, according to the Chronicle review.
· Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban charged with insider trading. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Mark Cuban on Monday with insider trading stemming from a 2004 sale of stock in an Internet company.
· Washington Father Uses Two Young Sons in Attempted Burglary. Police say a 28-year-old man used his two young sons — 7 and 4 — to help him attempt to steal nearly $8,000 worth of goods from the Burlington Kmart.
· Cougar Mauls Teen. A teen is recovering in the hospital after being mauled by a cougar. The owner was not home and the two teens did not have permission to be in the house, police said.
· Postmaster General Investigated for Sweetheart Mortgage. The Postal Service is investigating whether the nation's postmaster general improperly received a sweetheart deal on a mortgage from Countrywide Financial Corp., the chairman of the service's governing board said.
· Mother turns children in for Milwaukee robbery. A mother who turned in her teen daughter and son to police in a Milwaukee gas station robbery is being praised for her actions. She called police Friday after seeing a video of the robbery on a local TV station.
· W. Virginia Town Shrugs off Poorest Health Ranking. As a portly woman plodded ahead of him on the sidewalk, the obese mayor of America's fattest and unhealthiest city explained why health is not a big local issue. "It doesn't come up," said David Felinton, 5-foot-9 and 233 pounds, as he walked toward City Hall one recent morning. "We've got a lot of economic challenges here in Huntington. That's usually the focus."
· She warned of crane disaster: Buildings Dept. did nothing despite division chief's red flags. The Buildings Department ignored warnings from a division chief that a problem-plagued crane should be grounded months before it collapsed, killing two workers at an East Side high-rise. Whistleblower Bethany Klein, then head of the department's cranes & derricks unit, warned in an e-mail nine months before the May 30 disaster the tower crane was at risk of "catastrophic failure."
· Student Dies After Prop Gun Discharges Before Play Performance. A 17-year-old Washington County high school student died Saturday after firing a blank-shooting prop pistol used for a play. Authorities say the Desert Hills student died from head injuries. The pistol was found in the student's hands shortly before the play "Oklahoma!" was scheduled to begin.
· Gadget survey finds many bugs can't be fixed. A survey released Sunday that 15 percent of people who had some piece of technology break down in the previous year were never able to get it repaired.
· Obama Pledges 'Whatever It Takes.' In his first television interview since his historic election, Obama said he has spent the days since the election from doing "whatever it takes" to stabilize the economy, restore consumer confidence and create jobs to getting sound health care and energy policies through Congress.
· Week ahead: Weathering bad news. Investors returning to work Monday face what is expected to be a weeklong display of the depth of the downturn - a torrent of bad economic news. With stocks down roughly 35% year-to-date - as measured by the Dow 30 - has Wall Street already factored in the worst?
· Penthouse Seeking to Buy Casino on Las Vegas Strip. The chief executive of Penthouse says the company is looking to buy a casino on the Las Vegas Strip and generate business by tying it to the adult magazine and Web site empire. Penthouse CEO Marc Bell told the Las Vegas Review-Journal for a report published Sunday the best time to buy is in a down economy.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
· Japan - world's No. 2 economy - in recession. Japan fell into a recession in the third quarter for the first time since 2001, as the impact of the global slowdown took its toll on the world's No. 2 economy.
· Six Chicago cops injured in crash of squad cars. Chicago Police say six officers were injured when their patrol cars crashed into each other on the way to a call.
· 'Sopranos' actor on trial in NYPD cop slaying. Lillo Brancato Jr. was a young actor with a solid resume: He made his debut in 1993 in "A Bronx Tale" opposite Robert De Niro, went on to appear in more than a dozen movies and played a doomed mobster wannabe in HBO's "The Sopranos." Now, however, at the age of 32, Brancato faces charges of second-degree murder and other crimes in the 2005 killing of a police Officer.
· Priest apologizes for ordering car with Obama stickers removed. A Fairfield priest who had asked for a car with several Obama for President stickers to be removed from the church parking lot a week ago apologized to churchgoers for his outburst.
· Police officer's criminal sex case questioned. Strapping a gun to your side and coercing a woman to perform a sex act is usually called sexual battery. Doing it to an intoxicated woman while on duty and wearing your police uniform can lead to abuse-of-power charges and years behind bars. But after a local officer was accused of doing just that, Davie, Florida police and prosecutors decided on a different charge: unlawful compensation.
· Alabama Man Survives Being Run Over by Eight Train Cars. Talk about being lucky — a north Alabama man is alive after being run over by a train on Thursday afternoon. Huntsville Fire and Rescue officials said a train engineer spotted 61-year-old Arnold Romine lying across railroad ties.
· Guard shot during robbery attempt at Waldorf-Astoria. Gunfire erupted in the storied Waldorf-Astoria hotel during a brazen robbery attempt Saturday at a lobby jewelry store, wounding a security guard and sending guests diving for cover.
· Vt. town grows divisible over Pledge of Allegiance. No one is sure when daily recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance fell by the wayside at Woodbury Elementary School. But efforts to restore them have erupted into a bitter dispute in this town of about 800 residents, with school officials blocking the exercise from classrooms over concerns that it holds children who don't participate up to scorn.
· Obama: Say Goodbye to BlackBerry? Sorry, Mr. President. Please surrender your BlackBerry. Those are seven words President-elect Barack Obama is dreading but expecting to hear, friends and advisers say, when he takes office in 65 days. In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas.
· The world's ugliest buildings. Monstrosities, eyesores, nightmares of architecture - call them what you like, ugly buildings are sadly all around us.
· Teacher Charged With Delivering Heroin, Crack. A second-grade teacher in west Florida has been arrested for possessing heroin and crack cocaine and delivering them to undercover deputies.
· The world has never seen such freezing heat. A surreal scientific blunder last week raised a huge question mark about the temperature records that underpin the worldwide alarm over global warming. On Monday, Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), which is run by Al Gore's chief scientific ally, Dr James Hansen, and is one of four bodies responsible for monitoring global temperatures, announced that last month was the hottest October on record. It wasn't. The temperature readings had simply been carried over and repeated from the prior two months.
· Gay advocates protest marriage ban across nation. Gay rights supporters waving rainbow colors marched, chanted and danced in cities coast to coast Saturday to protest the vote that banned gay marriage in California and to urge supporters not to quit the fight for the right to wed.
· Wanted: Stockbroker Turned Murderer. He was a clean-cut, well-dressed Arizona stockbroker by day. But when he lost the suit and tie, authorities say, Paul Merle Eischeid became one of America’s most dangerous criminals.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
· UAW leader: Workers will make no more concessions. Even as Detroit's Big Three teeter on collapse, United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said Saturday that workers will not make any more concessions. Gettelfinger also called on Congress to act quickly on a bailout plan for the auto industry.
· Chicago Aldermen ring up $40K from circus. The circus industry, its lobbyist and his associates have contributed more than $40,000 in cash and circus tickets to Chicago aldermen in recent years as they've worked to block a proposed elephant-cruelty ordinance championed by Ald. Mary Ann Smith.
· Massachusetts debates raising gas tax. Just hours after approving a whopping $100 million Turnpike toll hike, Massachusetts leaders yesterday were openly mulling a gas tax increase in a stunning double-whammy to beleaguered Bay State motorists.
· Weak economy increases Spam demand. Through war and recession, Americans have turned to Spam from Hormel as a way to save money while still putting something that resembles meat on the table. Now, in a sign of the times, it is happening again, and Hormel is cranking out as much Spam as its workers can handle.
· Carjacker Kills Man in Atlanta for Dad's Funeral. An Ohio man who made a 700-mile drive to Georgia to bury his father was gunned down by a carjacker, leaving his family to plan a second goodbye.
· Dad Chains Himself To Meter To Save Girl. In a desperate attempt to prevent his power from being turned off, a father chained himself to the meter outside his home saying his daughter, who requires a feeding tube and other electrical equipment, could die without electricity.
· Jury awards $2.5 million to teen beaten by Klan members A jury awarded $2.5 million in damages on Friday to a Kentucky teenager who was severely beaten by members of a Ku Klux Klan group because they mistakenly thought he was an illegal Latino immigrant, the Southern Poverty Law Center said.
· Man In Wheelchair Robs Bank. A wheelchair-bound man who robbed a Space Coast Credit Union branch on Merritt Island, Fla. Friday afternoon was arrested minutes later, and the stolen money was found in his prosthetic leg, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said.
· Hooker in Eliot Spitzer scandal, to appear on '20/20.' Ashley Dupre, Eliot Spitzer's paid-for paramour, has spilled her guts to ABC News' Diane Sawyer.
· Husband's foreign deals may pose issue for Clinton. Former President Bill Clinton's globe-trotting business deals and fundraising sometimes put his activities abroad at odds with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and it could cause complications for her if President-elect Barack Obama picks her to be secretary of state.
· Former 'Soul Train' host charged. The Los Angeles city attorney has charged Don Cornelius, former host of "Soul Train," in connection with two domestic incidents involving his wife.
· NTSB: Design flaw led to Minnesota bridge collapse. Federal regulators said support plates that were about half as thick as they should have been were the likely cause of the August 1, 2007, bridge collapse in Minnesota that killed 13 people and injured 145.
· NY busboy sues Timberlake restaurant over pay. A busboy is suing Justin Timberlake, saying the pop star's Manhattan barbecue joint didn't pay him a legal wage.
Friday, November 14, 2008
· Man Shot by Best Friend Lived Through 32 of 45 Shots. Prosecutors say a man shot by his best friend 45 times lived through the first 32 shots. They highlighted the findings of pathologists at Freddie McDowell Jr.'s murder trial Thursday after defense testimony claimed the 24-year-old man suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
· Criminal Charges Possible in Teen's Football Practice Death. Louisville police say an investigation into the death of a high school football player who collapsed at a practice during 94 degree heat, has been turned over to prosecutors.
· Franken seeks access to rejected ballots. Democrat Al Franken, locked in a tight Senate race headed to a statewide recount, sued Thursday for access to data on voters who had their absentee ballots rejected.
· Obama Resigns. President-elect Barack Obama submitted his letter of resignation from the U.S. Senate this afternoon.
· Girl Runs Off After Being Dropped at Nebraska Safe Haven. Police are looking for a 17-year-old girl after she ran off when she realized her mother was taking her to a hospital to drop her off under Nebraska's Safe Haven law. According to Methodist Hospital staff, the girl ran off before reaching the emergency room. Her 14-year-old brother stayed. He's now in state custody.
· Senior Aide to Barbara Boxer Fired After Being Charged in Child Pornography Sting. A senior aide to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) was fired from his post last week after he was charged with distributing and receiving 600 child pornography files.
· Mayors of Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Phoenix seek bailout share. Three big city mayors asked the federal government Friday to use a portion of the $700 billion financial bailout to assist struggling cities. The mayors—Michael Nutter of Philadelphia, Shirley Franklin of Atlanta and Phil Gordon of Phoenix—made their request in a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.
· Dallas school district issues fake Social Security numbers to illegal immigrant employees. Years after being advised by a state agency to stop, the Dallas Independent School District continued to provide foreign citizens with fake Social Security numbers to get them on the payroll quickly. Some of the numbers were real Social Security numbers already assigned to people elsewhere.
· SC priest: No communion for Obama supporters. A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."
· Mexico City to give out Viagra to men 70 and older. Mexico City is giving out free Viagra and other impotence drugs to men 70 and older. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard says the city is implementing the plan because sexuality "has a lot to do with quality of life and our happiness."
· Designer Anand Jon convicted of sexual assault. Fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander was convicted Thursday of sexually assaulting girls and women, some of them aspiring models who authorities say were lured to Los Angeles with rarely fulfilled promises of jobs and stays at luxury hotels.
· Kanye West says he's 'voice of this generation.' Kanye West is to music what Michael Jordan was to basketball - at least that's what West thinks, in his humble estimation. "I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice," he said in a recent interview.
· Crowd of 1 million could attend Obama inauguration. President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration is expected to draw 1 million-plus to the capital, and already some lawmakers have stopped taking ticket requests and hotels have booked up.
· Town reaches settlement in 'dirty dancing' case. Nobody puts Rebecca Willis in a corner. A small mountain town has agreed to pay $275,000 for banning her from a community hangout after residents complained about her dirty dancing. Willis, then 56, was told to stay away from the Marshall Depot community center eight years ago.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
· King family seeks to cash in on MLK-Obama items. Zealous guardians of his words and his likeness, the family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is demanding a share of the proceeds from the sudden wave of T-shirts, posters and other merchandise depicting the civil rights leader alongside Barack Obama. A family member said the estate is entitled to hundreds of thousands of dollars in licensing fees - maybe even millions.
· Anne Hathaway's ex-boyfriend not happy with prison life. Italian con man Raffaello Follieri, who went from dating actress Anne Hathaway to serving a prison term for fraud, isn't enjoying the "unspeakably unsanitary" conditions at a jail in Brooklyn.
· Post office $2.8 billion in the red. The Postal Service ended its fiscal year $2.8 billion in the red, battered by a faltering economy that cut the amount of mail being sent. The mail being sent dropped by 9.5 billion items. The cost of sending packages will go up again in January.
· Banks warned to stop hoarding. The head of the Senate Banking Committee Thursday said banks receiving money as part of the $700 billion federal bailout must step up their lending to consumers and businesses.
· Pregnant Man Expecting Second Child. Thomas Beatie, the controversial "pregnant man" who gave birth to a daughter earlier this year, reveals to Barbara Walters in an exclusive interview that he is pregnant again with his second child.
· Covert camera found in Stamford train station women's bathroom. Metro Transit police arrested and seized the computer of a janitor who allegedly photographed women in the bathroom of the Stamford, CT train station.
· Catholic Church cuts off ACORN funding. The Roman Catholic Church is cutting off funds to the community organizing group ACORN, citing complaints over its voter registration drives, and allegations that Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN founder Wade Rathke, had embezzled nearly $1 million.
· Israel soldier gets 21 days in prison - for yawning. An Israeli soldier got three weeks in the slammer for yawning during a ceremony this week to mark the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, his mother said. The concerned woman said her son yawned "without covering his mouth" while the commander of his air force base was speaking during the memorial event.
· Did you notice less spam today? The volume of junk e-mail sent worldwide dropped drastically overnight after a Web hosting firm identified by the computer security community as a major host of organizations engaged in spam activity was taken offline, according to security firms that monitor spam distribution online.
· Woman Sues Strip Club, Exotic Dancer Over Son's Death. A Houston mother sued a strip club and an exotic dancer in the DUI death of her son, alleging the dancer was forced to get drunk for her job.
· MSNBC retracts false Palin story; others duped. MSNBC was the victim of a hoax when it reported that an adviser to John McCain had identified himself as the source of an embarrassing story about former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the network said Wednesday.
· Royal Navy in firefight with Somali pirates. Pirates caught redhanded by one of Her Majesty’s warships after trying to hijack a cargo ship off Somalia made the grave mistake of opening fire on two Royal Navy assault craft packed with commandos armed with machine guns and SA80 rifles.
· Want Some Government Money? Apply Now! Care to apply for some government money? Turns out there's a five-page, downloadable document to fill in - if you're interested...here's the link.
· Study shows divorce can be deadly. A new study shows that people who divorce die years sooner than others, putting them in company with smokers, the homeless, and the poorly educated.
· Oregon Man Gets 6 Years for Texting 12-Year-Old Girl. An Oregon man has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for attempted rape after a mother discovered his inappropriate text messages on her 12-year-old daughter's cell phone.
· Anthony Family Fires Spokesman. The Anthony family fired its spokesman on Wednesday, accusing him of accepting payments for booking Caylee Anthony's grandparents on TV shows.
· Disgraced Pastor Says He Was Abused as a Kid. Disgraced evangelical pastor Ted Haggard says he was sexually abused as a child and that the experience "started to rage in my mind and in my heart" when he was caught up in a sex scandal involving a male prostitute.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
· Fake New York Times announces 'Iraq War ends' to surprise of New Yorkers. A bogus "edition" of The New York Times hit city streets Wednesday, with a look into a fantasy future filled with phony headlines taking aim at the paper and the Bush administration. "IRAQ WAR ENDS," read the lead story headline, while other pieces included an apology from Condoleezza Rice for lies about WMDs.
· User Sues Classmates.com. When Classmates.com told Anthony Michaels that his former school chums were trying to contact him, he upgraded to the premium membership. But once he'd parted with the $15, Michaels learned the shocking truth: No one was trying to contact him at all. Classmates.com's come-on was a lie, and he'd been scammed.
· Artistic Director Resigns Amid Prop. 8 Boycott. The artistic director of the California Musical Theatre resigned Wednesday, after gay and lesbian artists threatened a boycott for his support of a ban on same-sex marriage.
· Don't forget us! Now the City of Detroit wants $10 billion bailout. The Detroit City Council passed a resolution today calling for a $10-billion federal bailout for the city of Detroit.
· Beer Truck Driver Cited For Drunken Driving. The driver of a truck carrying Coors beer was apparently drunk at the time he overturned on an off ramp in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
· Fan of Abdul found dead near 'Idol' judge's home. A fan of Paula Abdul whose failed audition for "American Idol" aired in season five was found dead in a car near the home of the pop star and judge she admired, authorities said Wednesday.
· $585 million price-fixing fine over LCD displays. Three major electronics manufacturers have agreed to plead guilty to a price-fixing conspiracy and pay $585 million in criminal fines for their roles in the pricing of LCD display panels, the Justice Department said Wednesday
· AmEx Requests $3.5 Billion in U.S. Aid. American Express Co. which is being hit by slowing consumer spending and rising defaults, is seeking roughly $3.5 billion in taxpayer-funded capital from the federal government, according to Wall Street Journal sources.
· Detroit automakers don't have a clue. The effort by General Motors Corp. to secure a federal bailout faces an overlooked hurdle: skeptical politicians, policy makers and industry analysts who don't think the world's largest auto maker is capable of turning itself around. "Detroit has had a lot of time to understand what it takes to compete. They wouldn't stand up to the labor-union bosses, and now they're facing the consequences," said Rep. Jeb Hensarling.
· As More Companies Seek Aid, 'Where Do You Stop?' The US government could be entering a bottomless pit of bailouts if it starts propping up failing companies outside the financial sector—including the struggling auto industry, economists say. "At some point you have to say this doesn't make any sense anymore," Bill Isaac, former chairman of the FDIC says.
· Lawmaker says AIG executive should resign after resort event. A key Democratic lawmaker called Tuesday for the resignation of American International Group's CEO after the troubled insurer held a $343,000 financial planners conference last week at a posh Arizona resort.
· Lawsuit Claims Victoria's Secret Bras Cause Rashes, Hives. A lawsuit filed against Victoria's Secret claims the brand's popular bras are responsible for injuring customers, causing rashes, hives and even permanent scarring, ABC News reported Tuesday. Tests revealed that the bras contained formaldehyde, a chemical used in embalming.
· Pitt is manhandled by his own bodyguard. In a bizarre incident at a Los Angeles screening of his new movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Brad Pitt was grabbed, pushed and spun around by a plainclothes security guard who had been hired by the venue to protect him from a pack of aggressive photographers.
· Madonna lays down law with strict rules for kids. Guy Ritchie has been re-united with his sons for the first time in weeks, but the meeting reportedly came with a list of 12 strict rules from estranged wife Madonna. Madonna's rules insist that Ritchie must allow the boys to only drink Kabbalah water - spring water that has been blessed by Kabbalah religious leaders. They also forbid toys that are "spiritually unsound." The kids are forbidden from looking at newspapers, magazines, TV or DVDs, and they must only eat macrobiotic, vegetarian food with no processed or refined food.
· Stuck on tarmac? Airlines not required to help passengers. A federal task force that spent nearly a year wrestling with ways to assist people delayed for hours aboard planes parked on tarmacs has finalized its recommendations - none of which requires airlines and airports to do anything. Among the problems: The task force was unable to agree on whether "lengthy" is one hour, two hours or 10 hours.
· MSNBC host now guarded by 7-second delay. After an F-bomb dropped on "Morning Joe," the MSNBC news-talk show has installed an early-warning system.
· Fat Kids Have 45-Year-Old Arteries. Obese children as young as 10 had the arteries of 45-year-olds and other heart abnormalities that greatly raise their risk of heart disease, say doctors.
· Atheist group's new Christmas message: Be good, not godly. Ads proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," will appear on Washington buses starting next week and running through December.
· Edwards Avoids Affair in First Speech Since Scandal. John Edwards didn't have to dodge tough questions from an Indiana University audience Tuesday, when the former presidential candidate returned to the stage three months after admitting to an extramarital affair.
· Foley breaks silence on sex scandal. Even today, two years after Mark Foley's very public fall from grace, the former congressman can't explain why he sent lurid, sexually explicit computer messages to male teens who had worked as Capitol Hill pages. Foley insists he did nothing illegal and never had sexual contact with teens, just inappropriate Internet conversations. These were 17-year-olds, just months from being men, he insists. "There was never anywhere in those conversations where someone said, 'Stop,' or 'I'm not enjoying this,' or 'This is inappropriate' ... but again, I'm the adult here, I'm the congressman," Foley said.
· Bush regrets. President Bush says he regrets some of his more blunt statements on the war on terror and wishes he had not spoken in front of a "Mission Accomplished" banner only a month after U.S. troops in Iraq were deployed. "I regret saying some things I shouldn't have said," Bush told CNN when asked to reflect on his two terms as president. "Like 'dead or alive' and 'bring 'em on.'"
· Yellowstone Ski Resort for Super Rich Files Bankruptcy. The exclusive Yellowstone Club resort in Montana, a residential club for the ultra-rich, on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Critics accuse the club's founders, Tim and Edra Blixseth, of going on a spending spree. Listings of the Blixseths' assets include at least four foreign estates, two luxury jets and fleets of boats and vehicles.
· Board of Elections: Tim Robbins went to the wrong poll site. Tim Robbins' difficulty in voting on Election Day was his own fault, New York City's Board of Elections maintains. The Board said Robbins should have gone to the new site and that this problem would have arisen earlier had Robbins voted in either the presidential primary in February or a second primary in September. The confusion appears to stem from the double registration of Robbins.
· Mortgage Help on the Way. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are under government control, said they would help streamline the modification of loans for potentially hundreds of thousands of homeowners who are 90 days or more behind on their mortgage payments.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
· Missing Baby, 1, Found Under Floorboards. A baby from Oregon who disappeared from her bed was found safe several hours later under the floorboards of her grandparents' home.
· Queen Elizabeth 2 Runs Aground. The Queen Elizabeth 2 is docked safely in Southampton harbor after briefly running aground just outside the British port.
· GM shares hit 65-year low amid liquidity concerns. General Motors Corp shares plummeted to a 65-year low on Tuesday, extending recent steep declines on concerns the automaker might run desperately short of cash by early next year. GM's shares closed down 13 percent, or 44 cents, at $2.92.
· Sheriff to ban deputies from mixing drinking, guns. The sheriff of Los Angeles County plans to prohibit his off-duty deputies from carrying their guns while drinking because several have been accused in recent years of firing weapons while intoxicated.
· Husband's coffin kills widow in freak accident. Police say a woman has died on the way to a cemetery when a traffic accident hurled her husband's coffin against the back of her neck.
· Poll shows lukewarm support for federal auto bailout. While the auto industry's push for government aid is gaining steam in Washington, a lot of Americans don't think bailing out the industry should be a priority. GM is running out of cash and said it needs about $11 billion to $14 billion on hand just to run day-to-day operations. GM shares fell $1 yesterday, or 23%, to close at $3.36 a share
· ABC ditched NASCAR coverage with 34 laps left. ABC ditched its NASCAR coverage for "America's Funniest Home Videos" with 34 laps left in Sunday's race. Jimmie Johnson's seventh win of the season was interrupted by cats running into walls and dancing brides falling on the floor.
· Secret Service Officer in Sex Sting. A Secret Service sergeant was arrested early Saturday after he allegedly tried to solicit sex from a D.C. police officer working undercover as a prostitute, authorities said.
· Photographer races clock to honor last few World War I vets. A Michigan photographer races the clock to photograph the dwindling number of surviving World War I veterans around the world. He knows of only 10 living veterans worldwide.
· Amid poor economy, even mighty Harvard struggling. Despite amassing an almost $37 billion endowment, Harvard University is warning that the economic slowdown has reached America's richest university.
· Feinstein Urges Web Sites Not to Sell Scalped Inauguration Tickets. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is overseeing Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony, is asking Web sites like eBay not to sell scalped inauguration tickets - which could be sold for up to $40,000 online.
· Obama daughters asked to appear on "Hannah Montana." President-elect Barack Obama's two young daughters have been invited to appear on popular kids television show "Hannah Montana," actor Billy Ray Cyrus said an interview aired on Monday.
· Ahmadinejad's letter to Obama sparks storm in Iran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad received praise from Iranian opposition politicians and withering criticism from its conservatives after he sent Barack Obama a letter last week congratulating him on winning the U.S. presidential race.
· American Express becomes a bank; gets government funds. American Express won Federal Reserve approval to become a commercial bank, gaining access to government funds as credit-card defaults climb with economies slowing around the world.
· Confusion at 'Dallas' reunion rankles fans. A weekend event organized to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Dallas" has created a drama worthy of the Ewing family itself after angry fans complained they didn't get the access to cast members they'd ponied up for - while others got close to the stars without paying.
· Trump Files Suit Against Lenders. Donald Trump filed suit against the lenders on his unfinished Chicago skyscraper, plunging the project into legal turmoil and highlighting the credit crunch's pervasive effects on real estate.
· Michelle Williams' father to be extradited to US. Michelle Williams' father, a prominent stock market trader, agreed Tuesday to return to the United States to face tax evasion charges. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service wants to question the 65-year-old Virgin Islands resident about a possible $1.5 million in unpaid taxes. Michelle Williams received an Oscar nomination as best supporting actress for her performance in the 2005 film "Brokeback Mountain," playing the wife of Heath Ledger's character.
· Obama asks Bush to provide help for automakers. The struggling auto industry was thrust into the middle of a political standoff between the White House and Democrats on Monday as President-elect Barack Obama urged President George W. Bush to support immediate emergency aid. The Bush administration, which has presided over a major intervention in the financial industry, has balked at allowing the automakers to tap into the $700 billion bailout fund, despite warnings last week that General Motors might not survive the year.
· Starbucks 4th-quarter profit falls 97 percent. Seattle-based Starbucks said profit in the quarter fell 97 percent to $5.4 million, or a penny a share, from $158.5 million, or 21 cents per share.
· Holocaust survivors to Mormons: Stop baptisms of dead Jews. Holocaust survivors said Monday they are through trying to negotiate with the Mormon church over posthumous baptisms of Jews killed in Nazi concentration camps, saying the church has repeatedly violated a 13-year-old agreement barring the practice.
· Obama seeks new approach in Afghanistan. President-elect Barack Obama plans to try a more regional approach to the war in Afghanistan including possible talks with Iran, The Washington Post reported, citing national security advisers to Obama.
Monday, November 10, 2008
· Man arrested for stealing 15 Communion wafers. A Florida man was arrested Saturday morning after he allegedly tried to steal "a handful of communion wafers" from a priest at a Catholic church. The 15 wafers were valued at $1.
· Released Texas Child Killer Suing Over Confinement. A federal judge will consider a lawsuit against state officials filed by a man convicted of killing an 8-year-old girl who says he's being illegally deprived of his chance to re-enter the community.
· Postal Service Looks To Cut 40,000 Jobs In First Layoff In History. "We lost 2 billion dollars and like any other business we have to stay afloat." And to keep from sinking, the U.S. Postal Service is considering cutting thousands of jobs nationwide.
· MSNBC Extends Keith Olbermann’s Contract. Keith Olbermann, the anchor of “Countdown,” will remain at MSNBC through the next presidential election season. The new contract is valued at about $7.5 million a year, one of the people said.
· Fed Defies Transparency Aim in Refusal to Disclose. The Federal Reserve is refusing to identify the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers or the troubled assets the central bank is accepting as collateral.
· Stars caught on candid camera. Snap! These celebs hardly look camera-ready under the unflattering glare of the paparazzi.
· GM share price downgraded to $0. Deutsche Bank downgraded General Motors Corp. to sell from hold, with a price target of $0, saying the car maker may not be able to fund its U.S. operations beyond December without government intervention.
· NC teen who studied crash deaths dies in wreck. A North Carolina teenager who studied teen highway deaths as a senior high school project is dead after a crash. 18-year-old Shannon Nicole Adkins graduated last spring after turning in a report about the risks facing young drivers.
· Nurse in Times Square war photo reunites with Navy. A 90-year-old who says she's the woman being kissed by a sailor in Times Square in one of World War II's most famous photographs reunited in town with the Navy on Sunday - days before she is to serve as grand marshal of the city's Veterans Day parade.
· Police: No Video of Death of Alleged Cop Killer. Internal reports at the Prince George's County jail reveal that a video camera failed to record the first five minutes when guards arrived in a cell to find a dead inmate. The camera did not start recording until after Ronnie White was removed on a stretcher.
· Farrakhan Says Obama 'New Beginning.' Farrakhan said that Obama will only be able to make positive changes with help from "God and people of good will," and he urged the Chicago-based movement's followers to do their part. Farrakhan admitted he stayed quiet about his support for Obama during the past few months out of fear his words would harm the Illinois senator's bid for the White House.
· Barack a hot name for new babies. Decontee Williams was so excited by Barack Obama's victory on Tuesday night that she started jumping up and down — and went into labor. Twelve hours later, Barack Jeilah was born.
· Texas Councilman Holds Summit Over Teens' Saggy Pants. Dallas Councilman Dwaine Caraway is on a mission: He wants those wearing low-hanging, baggy pants to pull them up. As part of his ongoing campaign against saggy, underwear-exposing pants, the mayor pro tem held a summit Saturday.
· Circuit City files for Chapter 11 protection. Circuit City Stores has filed for bankruptcy about a week after it said it would close 20 percent of its stores.
· 4-day school week could ease money woes. If school districts continue to feel the state budget pinch, Arizona students could see a three-day weekend. The Arizona Legislature forecast a state budget shortfall as high as $1.1 billion.
· Gasoline Prices Drop 48 Cents in Two Weeks. The latest Lundberg Survey of 5,000 gas stations around the country shows prices for a gallon of regular self-serve, as of Friday, at $2.30. The cheapest gas is in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at $1.89 for regular.
· New AIG Plan to Leave U.S. With $150B in Exposure. The U.S. will end up with total exposure of about $150 billion in investments, the Journal said, up from the recent total of $123 billion. That's an unprecedented level of investment in a private company. The initial AIG deal of $85 billion had come under fire from all sides - from lawmakers and citizens upset by what they saw as a bailout that took on too much risk and didn’t deserve the money.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
· Oregon city elects transgender mayor. Plenty of politicians reinvent themselves, but few do it quite like Mayor-elect Stu Rasmussen. Rasmussen had twice before been mayor of the small city 45 miles south of Portland. Those terms, however, were before his breast implants and before the once-discreet crossdresser started wearing dresses and 3-inch heels in public.
· Asphalt shortage delays road repairs nationwide. Expect a bumpier drive. An asphalt shortage is delaying road maintenance projects in communities nationwide. Asphalt is becoming scarce as U.S. refiners overhaul their equipment to maximize output of highly profitable fuels such as diesel and gasoline, using inexpensive — and hard to process — crude oil.
· Black churchgoers celebrate, give thanks for Obama's win. Pastor Shirley Caesar-Williams opened her sermon Sunday at Mount Calvary Word of Faith Church with a prayer of thanks for the election of Barack Obama - at the risk of her flock getting "more excited over this than you do over the word." "God has vindicated the black folk."
· Jersey City councilman urinated on concert crowd. A drunken Jersey City councilman was arrested for urinating on a crowd of concertgoers from the balcony of a Washington nightclub, police and club sources said Saturday.
· Cash Hidden in Ohio House Walls Becomes Contractor's Nightmare. The windfall discovery amounted to little more than grief for contractor Bob Kitts, who couldn't agree on how to split the money with homeowner Amanda Reece. "If these two individuals had sat down and resolved their disputes and divided the money, the heirs would have had no knowledge of it," said attorney Gid Marcinkevicius.
· Obama: Yes, I'll tax the rich. Despite speculation to the contrary, President-elect Barack Obama will act on his campaign promise and roll back the Bush administration's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, an Obama senior adviser said.
· 90-Year-Old Living With 3 Siblings' Bodies. A 90-year-old woman apparently has been living in a house with the bodies of her three siblings, one of whom may have been dead since the early 1980s, police in suburban Chicago said.
· Mini nuclear plants to power 20,000 homes. Nuclear power plants smaller than a garden shed and able to power 20,000 homes will be on sale within five years, say scientists at Los Alamos, the laboratory which developed the first atomic bomb. The miniature reactors will be factory-sealed, contain no weapons-grade material, have no moving parts and will be nearly impossible to steal because they will be encased in concrete and buried underground.
· Slain father taught boy to use guns, priest says. A man who police believe was shot and killed by his 8-year-old son had consulted a Roman Catholic priest about whether the boy should have a gun and had taught him how to use firearms, the clergyman said.
· Russian navy: 20 dead from poison in sub accident. The fire safety system on a new Russian nuclear-powered submarine malfunctioned on a test run in the Sea of Japan, spewing chemicals that killed at least 20 people and injured 21 others, officials said Sunday.
· U.S. Asks Venezuelan Diplomats in Houston to Leave. The State Department is asking officials at the Venezuelan consulate in Houston to leave the country. The State Department says the South American country's government violated international protocol by moving its offices in that city before receiving permission.
· Engine fell off Mexican jet before crash. An engine fell off a Mexican government jet before it crashed, killing the second-highest official in the nation, the Cabinet member in charge of the investigation said Saturday.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
· Automakers struggle to survive past mistakes. At Ford Motor Co. they called it "Blue," a team set up around the year 2000 to design an array of small, fuel-efficient cars to compete with the Japanese. It didn't get far because no one could figure out how to make money on low-priced compacts with Ford's high labor costs. Ford's labor costs are $30 per hour more than Japanese companies pay their workers.
· After Push for Obama, Unions Seek New Rules. After making millions of phone calls and knocking on millions of doors to elect Barack Obama, the nation’s labor unions have begun a new campaign: to get the new president and Congress to pass legislation that would make it easier for workers to unionize.
· 2 baggage handlers arrested at LAX. Two baggage handlers are accused of stealing $10,000 and hundreds of items from luggage at the Los Angeles International Airport.
· With polls closed, William Ayers now complains of being a 'cartoon character.' Now that all the votes are cast and his South Side Chicago neighbor Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States, William Ayers, the founder of the violent Weather Underground in the 1960s, granted a newspaper interview.
· Ambulance runs red light, causing multi-vehicle crash. An ambulance with its lights flashing ran a red light in Southwest Portland Friday morning and caused a multi-vehicle crash, police said.
· 8-year-old charged with premeditated murder. An 8-year-old boy is charged with murder in the shooting of his father and another man in eastern Arizona, authorities said Friday.
· Mexico Seizes Hundreds of Drug-Cartel Weapons in Record Raid Near U.S. Border. The Mexican army on Friday announced that it has made the largest seizure of drug-cartel weapons in Mexico's history. The cache of 540 rifles, 165 grenades, 500,000 rounds of ammunition and 14 sticks of TNT were seized at a house in the city of Reynosa, across the border from McAllen, Texas.
· Obama apologizes to Nancy Reagan for seance remark. President-elect Barack Obama called Nancy Reagan on Friday to apologize for a remark about seances he made during his first news conference earlier in the day. When a reporter asked Obama if he had spoken with any ex-presidents since his election on Tuesday, he responded that he had spoken to all former presidents "that are living." "I didn't want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about, you know, doing any seances," he said.
· The worst James Bond moments. James Bond fans are a serious lot, and the online discussions of the best movies, actors and chase scenes from the films get pretty intense.
· Thousands Come to Orlando to Search for Missing Toddler Caylee Anthony. More than 3,000 volunteers from 30 different states are descending on the Orlando area this weekend for a massive search for missing toddler Caylee Anthony, who is believed to be dead.
· Palin calls attacks 'cruel' and 'cowardly.' Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin called former aides of Sen. John McCain "jerks" for circulating unflattering stories about her since the Republican ticket lost its bid for the White House Tuesday. "Those were taken out of context and that's cruel," Palin said. "It's mean-spirited. It's immature."
· Gun Sales Surge on Fears of Dem Crackdown. Gun enthusiasts nationwide are stocking up on firearms out of fears that the combination of an Obama administration and a Democrat-dominated Congress will result in tough new gun laws.
· Ted Turner says Fonda's faith didn't cause split. It wasn't religion that broke up his marriage to Jane Fonda, Ted Turner declares in a new memoir. He says he was "upset" when he discovered his wife's "conversion," but "it wasn't because she had become Christian," the 69-year-old Turner writes in "Call Me Ted," which comes out next week.
Friday, November 7, 2008
· O.J. Simpson Won't Get a New Trial in Robbery-Kidnap Case. O.J. Simpson was denied a new trial Friday by the Nevada judge who presided over his conviction in the gunpoint robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room.
· Atlanta courthouse shooter guilty of murder, faces death. Brian Nichols was convicted Friday of murdering four people in a shooting rampage that began at a courthouse in Atlanta. The jury next must decide whether he should be executed for his crimes.
· Woman who cut off baby's arms to be released. A Texas woman who killed her 10-month-old daughter by cutting off her arms with a kitchen knife is being released from a state mental hospital. Dena Schlosser killed her baby in 2004 and was found not guilty by reason of insanity two years later.
· Killer of wife's teen lover sentenced. A Tennessee man convicted in the fatal shooting of his teacher wife's student lover will spend 47 more days in jail, followed by 12 years on probation, a judge ruled at a sentencing hearing today.
· GM reports $2.5B 3Q loss, says running out of cash. General Motors Corp. said Friday it lost $2.5 billion in the third quarter and warned that it could run out of cash in 2009 if the U.S. economic slump continues and it doesn't get government aid.
· Bloomberg wants plastic bag tax. NYC Mayor Bloomberg wants to nickel and dime residents at the grocery store - taxing an extra 5 cents for every plastic bag. The controversial charge could raise at least $16 million for the cash-strapped city.
· Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. Blames Media for Controversy. Barack Obama's former pastor, speaking Thursday at a forum about race and religion, criticized the media's coverage of a controversy that threatened to derail Obama's campaign and caused the president-elect to sever ties with his longtime spiritual leader.
· Automakers Ask Congress for 'Immediate' Funding. Detroit's automakers appealed to congressional leaders Thursday for $25 billion more in federal loans, low-interest emergency borrowing and a share of the Wall Street bailout to help rescue an ailing industry battered by the economic crisis.
· Microsoft CEO: No interest in buying Yahoo. Microsoft's chief executive said Friday the software giant is not interested in renewing its bid for struggling search engine company Yahoo. "We made an offer, we made another offer, and it was clear that Yahoo didn't want to sell the business to us and we moved on," Ballmer said. "We are not interested in going back and re-looking at an acquisition. I don't know why they would be either, frankly. They turned us down at $33 a share." Yahoo shares last traded at $13.96 on the New York Stock Exchange.
· Lieberman may have day of reckoning with Democrats. Sen. Joe Lieberman met Thursday with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to discuss Lieberman's future with the Democratic caucus. "While I understand that Sen. Lieberman has voted with Democrats a majority of the time, his comments and actions have raised serious concerns among many in our caucus," said Reid, D-Nevada.
· Caylee Anthony's Grandfather Worried About Death Smell in Daughter's Trunk. Newly-released documents reveal that the grandfather of a missing Florida toddler worried about the smell of death he detected coming from his daughter's car trunk.
· Mental Illness May Determine Fate Of Mother Of Missing Caylee Anthony. The mental health of Casey Anthony, who has been charged with first-degree murder in the disappearance of her daughter, Caylee, could be the key to determining her fate.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
· Spitzer won't be charged in prostitution scandal. Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer will not be charged in connection with the prostitution scandal that prompted his resignation, the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York said Thursday.
· U.S. Stocks Tumble in Market's Worst Two-Day Slump Since 1987. U.S. stocks slid, sending the market to its biggest two-day slump since 1987, after jobless claims jumped and the shrinking economy crushed earnings.
· Ellen DeGeneres laments gay marriage ban. Ellen DeGeneres says she is "saddened beyond belief" by the passage of a constitutional amendment in California banning gay marriage. DeGeneres contributed $100,000 to fight the amendment on Tuesday's ballot.
· Italy's Berlusconi hails "suntanned" Obama. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gave an enthusiastic, if unconventional, welcome on Thursday to the election of Barack Obama, citing among his attributes youth, good looks and a "suntan."
· Oil drops 6 percent on recession concerns. Oil prices tumbled 6 percent on Thursday on expectations that demand would slow further after the International Monetary Fund predicted developed economies would deliver their worst performance since World War II.
· Yahoo suggests Microsoft should make new offer. Now that the ad deal with Google Inc. is off, Yahoo Inc. CEO Jerry Yang says his company is open to a new offer from Microsoft. Yahoo's Yang turned down Microsoft's $33 a share offer earlier this year. Yahoo's stock closed Wednesday at $13.92.
· Brooklyn Marine sergeant & wife tortured, slain in California. A Brooklyn-raised Marine sergeant and his new bride were tortured and killed execution-style in their California home - allegedly by four other Marines under his command.
· Teen compacted in garbage truck. A teenage boy survived after he was accidentally dumped into the back of a recycling truck and compacted. Police say the 14-year-old Milwaukee boy ran away from a boot camp-style school for teens Monday and hid among cardboard in a large recycling bin.
· Taxpayers may pay legal bills for mortgage execs. When the government took over mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, taxpayers inherited more than just bad debts. They're also potentially on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in legal fees for the executives at the center of the housing market's collapse. Like many large companies, Fannie and Freddie had contracts promising to cover legal bills for their executives.
· Obama campaign workers angry over unpaid wages. Lines were long and tempers flared Wednesday not to vote but to get paid for canvassing for Barack Obama. Several hundred people are still waiting to get their pay for last-minute campaigning.
· Buyers boycott Saddam yacht. The sale of a luxury yacht once owned by former dictator Saddam Hussein, moored until recently off France, has met with muted interest from would-be buyers. That followed a report in Britain's Sunday Times which said the 270-foot yacht, featuring gold-tap bathrooms, a helicopter landing pad and a secret escape passageway, should fetch $30 million.
· How Obama's win may impact Americans' mental health. Improved race relations and short-term relief from soaring stress levels are among the likely after-effects of Barack Obama's Tuesday night victory, say experts in mental health and race relations. "Now that people know we're going to have a change, it will give them hope and ease fears for a while."
· Spector's ex-girlfriend testifies: 'He's easy to forgive.' Phil Spector's ex-girlfriend acknowledged Wednesday that she attended events with the rock music legend after she says he pistol-whipped her and threatened her with guns, telling the court that "he's easy to forgive."
· Airline crew subdues passenger with duct tape. An airline crew used duct tape to keep a passenger in her seat because they say she became unruly, fighting flight attendants and grabbing other passengers, forcing the flight to land in North Carolina.
· Gay rights backers file 3 lawsuits challenging Prop. 8. After losing at the polls, gay rights supporters filed three lawsuits Wednesday asking the California Supreme Court to overturn Proposition 8, an effort the measure's supporters called an attempt to subvert the will of voters.
· Is Rev Jesse Jackson crying tears of joy... or tears of frustration? Tears streamed down the face of the Reverend Jesse Jackson as he waited to hear Barack Obama's victory speech.
But cynical commentators wondered if they were tears of joy for America's first black president or of frustration because the veteran civil rights leader knows he will be an outsider looking in at the new administration.
· CNN beams in guests with new hologram technology. CNN's tryout of holograms was the talk of TV on a night where networks brought forth all sorts of gizmos and gadgets to cover Barack Obama's election as president. It was already being parodied Wednesday in an online mash-up, substituting CNN correspondent Jessica Yellin's voice with Princess Leia of "Star Wars."
· Ark. woman arrested for huffing asks for can back. Police arrested a woman for public intoxication after she reportedly demanded an officer return the can of compressed air she was inhaling "so she could finish getting high."
· Woman hit by stray bullet at NASCAR race in Texas. A NASCAR fan in her recreational vehicle at Texas Motor Speedway was wounded by a stray bullet after someone apparently fired a gun into the air, police said.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
· Election sends three NASA supporters packing. The House Science Committee lost three strong NASA supporters Nov. 4 when U.S. voters elected a new Congress and chose Democrat Barack Obama as the next president.
· California voters ban gay-marriage. Voters put a stop to same-sex marriage in California, dealing a crushing defeat to gay-rights activists in a state they hoped would be a vanguard, and putting in doubt as many as 18,000 same-sex marriages conducted since a court ruling made them legal this year.
· Attorney General Brown Says Current Gay Marriages Are Legal. California Attorney General Jerry Brown says the 18,000 same-sex marriages performed before midnight Tuesday should remain valid in California, but says future gay weddings will not be considered legal under Proposition 8.
· Stocks fall as investors ponder Obama presidency. A case of post-election nerves sent stocks plunging Wednesday as investors again anxious about recession began questioning what impact a Barack Obama presidency will have on business and the overall economy. The Dow Jones industrials dropped 486 points and the major indexes all fell more than 5 percent.
· Son attacks mom after MySpace dispute. An 18-year-old Hayden, Idaho, man is accused of stabbing his mother after she forbade him to use the Internet social networking site MySpace.
· Determined Texas woman, 92, votes in ambulance. Betty Owen is 92 and after a stroke four years ago, needs a feeding tube and can't walk. But she was determined not to miss Tuesday's election. She arrived at her polling place on a gurney in an ambulance, where an election judge climbed aboard with an electronic voting machine and let her cast her ballot.
· Fed Hires Failed Bank Executive. The Federal Reserve Bank is drawing jeers for hiring a former top executive from the now-defunct investment bank Bear Stearns to help it gauge the health of other banks.
· Michael Crichton dies of cancer. Michael Crichton, the million-selling author who made scientific research terrifying and irresistible in such thrillers as "Jurassic Park," "Timeline" and "The Andromeda Strain," has died of cancer.
· Israel-Hamas violence disrupts Gaza truce. Hamas fired dozens of rockets at Israel on Wednesday after Israeli forces killed six Palestinian militants in an eruption of violence that disrupted a four-month-old truce along the Gaza Strip's frontier.
· 2008 campaigns cost $5.3 billion. The 2008 campaign was the costliest in history, with a record-shattering $5.3 billion in spending by candidates, political parties and interest groups on the congressional and presidential races.
· Sex Scandal Fells Florida Democrat in Former Mark Foley District. Despite the election's leftward trends, it isn't a surprise that Republican Tom Rooney beat out incumbent Democrat Tim Mahoney for his House seat today. News broke that Mahoney had an affair with a woman on his staff, after which he fired her and allegedly paid $121,000 to avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit.
· Coleman wins Senate race against comedian Al Franken; Recount likely. Republican Norm Coleman has won a second term in the U.S. Senate, surviving a stiff challenge from former comedian Al Franken. Coleman squeaked past Franken by the narrowest of margins: a few hundred votes with nearly 2.9 million cast. The margin appeared certain to trigger an automatic recount.
· Convicted felon Alaska Sen. Stevens holds slim lead with thousands of votes still to be counted. Alaskans will have to wait a little while longer to find out if U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens has been re-elected just days after becoming a convicted felon. Stevens, a Republican, held a slim lead, 48 percent to 47 percent, over Democrat Mark Begich with 96 percent of precincts voting.
· Indicted La. congressman survives crucial vote. Facing trial on bribery and money laundering charges, U.S. Rep. William Jefferson won a Democratic primary runoff against a former television reporter who argued the scandal negated the influence he built during 18 years in Congress.
· MLB agents ponder beating potential tax increase. Looking ahead to the new Obama administration, some baseball agents already are thinking about trying to beat a possible tax increase for their well-paid clients. As a Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama has proposed increasing the top federal income tax rate from 35 percent to 39.6 percent, where it was under the Clinton administration.
· Diddy votes: "I felt like my vote was the vote that put him into office." New York remained a deep blue state on Election Day, going Barack Obama's way big-time. Still, as Diddy cast his ballot for the Democratic presidential candidate Tuesday, he couldn't help but feel that he had made a difference. "I felt like my vote was the vote that put him into office," Diddy said.
· Obama makes history; turns to sobering challenges. His name etched in history as America's first black president, Barack Obama turned from the jubilation of victory to the sobering challenge of leading a nation worried about economic crisis, two unfinished wars and global uncertainty. "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep," Obama cautioned.
· Democratic majorities stronger, tougher. The Democratic congressional majority grew broader and more muscular in Tuesday's historic elections, with new members ousting Republicans in the House and Senate and a team of their own heading to the White House.
· Obama victory sets off jubilation. From the avenue in Atlanta where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was born to a giant lakefront rally in Chicago, Americans black and white celebrated Barack Obama's election with tears, the honking of horns, screams of joy, arms lifted skyward.
· McCain concedes presidency, congratulates Obama. Republican John McCain concedes the presidential race to Barack Obama, saying the Democrat has achieved a "great thing" for himself and the country with his historic victory. McCain - with wife Cindy on one side and running-mate Sarah Palin on the other - urged his supporters to put aside partisan differences and work to get "the country moving again."
· Analysis: For Obama, now comes the hard part. Audacity won. Now Barack Obama must validate the hope and deliver the change he promised. He's already changed America by becoming the first black man to win the White House. His challenge is to change the course of its government and guide it through hard times and past the current financial crisis. "The Audacity of Hope," the title of his book, could also have been the title of his campaign.
· Obamas may bring new fashion sense to White House. The Obamas' first official appearance as first family-elect will be long remembered for many weighty historic reasons, but it could also signal another new beginning: An entirely different fashion sense in the White House.
· Russia to deploy missiles in Kaliningrad. President Dmitry Medvedev says Russia will deploy missiles in its Baltic Sea territory in response to U.S. missile defense plans. He has not said how many missiles will be deployed or whether they will be fitted with nuclear warheads.
· Fox News' Brit Hume leaving for family, religion. After 12 years at Fox News Channel and four decades in the news business, Washington managing editor Brit Hume will leave "Special Report" and daily journalism for a quieter life, spending time with his grandchildren and following his Christian faith.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
· Three Chicago Election Judges Removed For Misconduct. Chicago election authorities have removed three election judges. Chairman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners Langdon Neal says one judge was drunk, one was being abusive and one was impersonating an election judge.
· Man mocks Obama with "a load of crap." Democrats are criticizing a 38-year-old man who parked a trailer load of manure across the street from Whitehall's Democratic campaign office to protest presidential hopeful Barack Obama. He also posted a sign in the manure mocking Obama's "change we can believe in" slogan as "a load of crap."
· Bus Driver Threatened To Stop On Railroad Tracks. A school bus driver was suspended 20 days without pay after telling students she'd stop on railroad tracks and leave them there if they didn't shape up.
· Boyfriend Dies In Stabbing Over Pizza. Authorities in Greenacres, Florida said a woman fatally stabbed her boyfriend over a frozen pizza.
· Outrage over 'chastity belt' lingerie fitted with GPS tracking system. Feminists around the world have concern over a new line of lingerie that comes equipped with a GPS tracking system.
· Suspicious Text Messages Sent to Voters. The Maryland Attorney General's office and the ACLU is investigating text messages being sent to voters telling them the lines are too long at the polls and to come back tomorrow.
· Phony Virginia Flier Culprit Found. Virginia state elections officials have identified the person responsible for a phony election flier that told Republicans to vote on Tuesday and Democrats to vote a day later.
· Sign-stealing professor resigns. Professor Philip Busse, a journalist and political activist from Portland, Ore., will be charged with misdemeanor theft for stealing John McCain lawn signs. "Sure, I understand that stealing a sign will not change anyone's mind, and, most likely, will only embolden McCain supporters' disdain for liberals. Even so, yanking out the signs was one of the single most exhilarating and empowering political acts that I have ever done," professor Busse said.
· The morning after: Half of us will be disappointed. The outlook is obvious but often overlooked: In a deeply divided nation, on the first dawn after we choose a new leader, every ray of victory's sunshine brings a corresponding thundercloud of defeat and bitterness.
· Two More Teens Abandoned Under Nebraska's Safe Haven Law. Two more teenagers have been abandoned at Nebraska hospitals under the state's much-criticized safe haven law, bringing the number of mostly older children dropped off to 26 since July, authorities said.
· World hopes for a 'less arrogant America.' A world weary of eight years of George W. Bush was riveted Tuesday by the drama unfolding in the United States. Many were inspired by Barack Obama's focus on hope, or simply relieved that — whoever wins — the current administration is coming to an end.
· Obama thanks 'gracious' press. Democrat Barack Obama made a rare foray to the press section of his campaign plane early Tuesday - election day - to thank reporters.
· America Heads to the Polls. The Democratic presidential nominee plans to make a campaign stop in Indianapolis Tuesday after voting in Chicago. Then he returns to Illinois for what has become an election day tradition - playing basketball. McCain's schedule takes him first to Phoenix to vote, and then to Colorado and New Mexico - both states President Bush won in 2004 but that are trending Democratic this year.
· Frozen mice cloned. Japanese scientists have cloned mice whose bodies were frozen for as long 16 years and said on Monday it may be possible to use the technique to resurrect mammoths and other extinct species.
· Joe the Plumber gets warning, not speeding ticket. Police stopped "Joe the Plumber" for speeding last week but didn't issue a ticket out of concern it would reflect negatively on the Toledo department, an officer's report said.
· Obama to the rescue. 'He Is Going To Pay For My Gas And Mortgage.' [Video]
· Maybe some people shouldn't vote. Get-out the-vote groups now register young people at rock concerts. Is that really a good idea? Many kids don't know much. At a HeadCount concert, "20/20" asked some future voters, "How many senators are there?" One said 12; another, 16; and another, 64. One girl guessed, "50 per state." Most kids didn't know what Roe vs. Wade was about. "Roe vs. Wayne?" said one. "Segregation, maybe?" "Where we declared bankruptcy?" HeadCount's Marc Brownstein concedes that a lot of voters are uninformed, but said: “Democracy is not about taking the most educated portion of the society and having them decide who's going to run the entire society."
· Pregnant woman assaulted in courthouse parking lot. A pregnant woman was slugged in the face as she waited for a handicapped parking spot to open up outside the Greene County Courthouse Monday in an incident partially caught on tape.
· What If the Polls Are Wrong? There have been almost 160 national polls in the last six weeks. Most of those polls have Barack Obama ahead of John McCain, including our ABC News/Washington Post daily tracking poll, that has Obama comfortably ahead 53-44. But what if the polls are wrong?
· Fla. board keeps Klan leader's name at high school. A Florida school board voted late Monday night to keep the name of a Confederate general and early Ku Klux Klan leader at a majority black high school, despite opposition from a black board member who said the school's namesake was a "terrorist and racist."
· Troopergate report clears Palin, says she broke no laws. Gov. Sarah Palin violated no ethics laws when she fired her public safety commissioner, the state personnel board concluded in a report released Monday. "There is no probable cause to believe that the governor, or any other state official, violated the Alaska Executive Ethics Act in connection with these matters," the report says.
· Kentucky Democrats send out wrong polling location info. Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson says some Louisville voters may have gotten the wrong information about where to vote Tuesday.
· Man nabbed for DUI twice in less than 6 hours. Police say a central Pennsylvania man was arrested on drunken driving charges twice in less than six hours. The man's first arrest came just before 11 a.m. Sunday after police said his car hit the back of a stopped vehicle in Manheim Township, Lancaster County.
Monday, November 3, 2008
· DNA links bones near plane crash site to Fossett. Authorities say they've positively identified some of Steve Fossett's remains: two large bones found a half-mile from where the adventurer's plane crashed in California's Sierra Nevada.
· Obama's Grandmother Dies. A tragic turn of events for Sen. Barack Obama: his ailing grandmother died of cancer at 86. Here's a statement from Obama and his sister: "It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility."
· Seattle Newspaper Publishes Photos and Home Addresses of McCain Supporters. The Stanger, which touts itself as "Seattle's Only Newspaper," has decided to photograph and publish the addresses of people having McCain/Palin sign on their property.
· Stevens Juror Lied About Father's Death. The juror who was dismissed from the trial of Sen. Ted Stevens to attend her father’s funeral in California has admitted that her father had not died and that she went to California to go to a horse race.
· U.S. Auto Sales Fall; GM Calls Month Worst Since 1945. U.S. auto sales plummeted in October in what General Motors Corp. called the worst month since 1945, as reduced access to loans and a weaker economy kept consumers off dealer lots.
· Def Jam boss kills self. A music executive who signed Beyoncé and ran hip-hop heavyweight Def Jam Recordings committed suicide by shooting himself in the head, officials said Sunday.
· Girl Lied About School Rape. A 15-year-old girl who claimed she was dragged into a school bathroom and raped at knifepoint made the story up to conceal a sexual encounter she had off-campus, Putnam County sheriff's deputies said.
· N.D. Teacher of the Year barred from reception. North Dakota's new Teacher of the Year was barred from a reception held to honor top teachers because she declined to join the North Dakota Education Association, education officials said.
· Armed, masked man waving U.S. flag shuts down highway in Southern California. Authorities have closed a stretch of highway in the Santa Barbara, Calif., area after a masked man appeared on an overpass holding a handgun and waving an American flag.
· Bombastic Bushkin: Johnny Carson was Depressed, Tormented Man. Johnny Carson's longtime lawyer is blowing the lid off the secret life of the beloved "Tonight Show" host — painting him as a sad, depressed man who cheated on his wives, was tormented by his mom and refused to visit his son in a mental hospital.
· Convicted child-killer to be sentenced in Idaho. Federal prosecutors in Idaho say a convicted child-killer already sentenced to die should get three additional life prison terms.
· Chavez offers talks with "black man" in White House. Anti-U.S. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez predicted on Sunday the "black man" will win the U.S. presidential race and offered to hold talks with him to improve ties between the superpower and one its biggest oil suppliers.
· Study links teen pregnancy to sexy TV shows. In findings that covered 718 teenagers, there were 91 pregnancies. The top 10th of adolescents who watched the most sexy programing were at double the risk of becoming pregnant or causing a pregnancy compared to the 10th who watched the fewest such programs, according to the study published in the journal Pediatrics.
· Coal official calls Obama comments 'unbelievable.' A West Virginia coal industry leader said he was shocked by comments made by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. "If somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted," Obama said.
· John Daly says he has a logical explanation for his drunken Hooters fiasco. According to Winston-Salem police, Daly appeared ``extremely intoxicated and uncooperative,'' but Daly said the whole episode could have been avoided if his friends had realized he tends to sleep with his eyes open when he's tired, stressed and has been drinking.
· Woman sues after crashing wheelchair at state fairground. A woman who was injured when she lost control of her wheelchair and struck a metal barrier at the flea market has sued Metro government — and the security guard who wouldn’t let her husband pull the car up to the door, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Davidson County Circuit Court.
· Caterer sues police over sausages. A Muslim catering manager has accused the Metropolitan Police of religious discrimination as he was told he may have to handle sausages and bacon.
· Simon Cowell's Girlfriend Gives Him the Boot. American Idol contestants beware: Simon Cowell might be a bit crankier this season. The A.I. judge was recently dumped via phone by his longtime girlfriend, Terri Seymour, his rep confirms to People magazine.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
· Update: Trick-or-treater, mistaken for robber, killed. An ex-convict who thought he was being robbed gunned down a 12-year-old trick-or-treater, spraying nearly 30 rounds with an AK-47 assault rifle from inside his home after hearing a knock on the door, police said Saturday.
· $8 for your vote. Barack Obama and John McCain uncorked massive get-out-the-vote operations in more than a dozen battleground states Sunday, millions of telephone calls, mailings and door-knockings in a frenzied, fitting climax to a record-shattering $1 billion campaign. Together, they'll spend about $8 per presidential vote.
· IRS, Justice Target Undisclosed Assets In Swiss Accounts. The legendary secrecy of Swiss banks has come under fresh assault lately from U.S. and European authorities who say their citizens have used the privacy to hide assets and dodge taxes.
· Michigan woman limits her treats to McCain supporters only. A suburban Detroit woman decided to scare up the vote among neighborhood children by just offering treats to John McCain supporters. TV station WJBK says a sign outside Shirley Nagel's house warned: No handouts for Obama supporters, liars, tricksters or kids of supporters.
· To collect from Lehman Brothers, wait in line behind the lawyers. Lehman has already begun selling off assets to settle its debts. One of the first things to go was the corporate jet. The debtors sold the plane for $24.9 million on Oct. 29, with the approval of a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge. Why not use the windfall to repay some creditors promptly? It doesn't work that way, says Lynn LoPucki, a law professor at Harvard and UCLA and expert in corporate bankruptcies. "The lawyers and all the other professionals who work on the case get paid first."
· Chicago buried in murders. When Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew were killed last month, they pushed Chicago's homicide total for the year to 436 and counting.
· Paramedic Accused Of Stealing From Patient. A Pasco County paramedic who authorities believe stole money from a patient's wallet has been arrested.
· CEOs, famous investors hit hard by market plunge. Here's something that might provide a bit of solace amid the plunging values in your retirement accounts: Warren Buffett is losing lots of money, too. So are Kirk Kerkorian, Carl Icahn and Sumner Redstone.
· Larry Birkhead and Daughter Move Out of Anna Nicole Smith's House. Anna Nicole Smith's toddler daughter is moving out of Smith's house in the Bahamas with her father.
· Missing Fla. dog shows up 1,000 miles away in Ill. A Maltese dog named Max is headed home to Florida after he was spotted in Chicago — 1,000 miles from where he vanished.
· Husband busted in wife's poisoned-coffee slaying. A Long Island woman who cops say was poisoned with cyanide by her husband has died. Her husband, David Steeves, 43, was arrested and charged with attempted murder for allegedly sprinkling powdered potassium cyanide in his wife's coffee while she cooked.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
· Neighbors shocked after trick-or-treater shot. A 12-year-old boy was shot to death through a front door while trick-or-treating with his family, shocking residents of a South Carolina neighborhood where most people know each other well.
· Minister killed at funeral. A Cincinnati minister was killed and a deacon at his church was wounded in a shooting this morning as they arrived for a funeral at Ninth Street Baptist Church here.
· Zamboni driver on thin ice. A woman has been charged with impaired driving after she was seen operating a Zamboni erratically at the Kingsville Arena, hitting the boards and falling asleep slumped over the wheel.
· Obama's Aunt is in the U.S. Illegally. Barack Obama's aunt, a Kenyan woman who has been quietly living in public housing in Boston, is in the United States illegally after an immigration judge rejected her request for asylum four years ago, The Associated Press has learned.
· School Clams Up on 'Gay' Pledge Cards Given to Kindergartners. A California school system refuses to say what action, if any, it will take after it received complaints about a kindergarten teacher who encouraged her students to sign "pledge cards" in support of gays.
· Lawyer pleads guilty to stealing $30 million. A New Orleans attorney pleads guilty to charges accusing him of siphoning millions of dollars held for clients of his former law firm.
· Panicked Students Suspended For Calling Parents During Evacuation. At least nine students at Thomas Jefferson Middle were suspended this week for trying to call their parents on cell phones during an evacuation for a gas leak.
· I killed my wife and you won't find her, jeweler says. A Manhattan jeweler who reported his wife missing nearly a month ago admitted killing her and disposing of her body near their Westchester home, authorities said Friday.
· Designer's lawyer: 9 women lied in rape claims. A defense attorney for fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander told jurors Friday in closing arguments that his client should be acquitted of rape charges because his accusers are lying and seeking revenge.
Friday, October 31, 2008
· Texas Mom Throws 4-Year-Old Daughter Into Traffic. A woman has been charged with child endangerment, a state jail felony, for beating her 4-year-old daughter before throwing her into the path of an oncoming vehicle, police said.
· Boy Sent Home From School For Dressing As Jesus. A Paramus, NJ middle school student was sent home Friday after he came to school dressed up as Jesus for Halloween. "It was offensive to some students," the boy said, when asked what school officials told him the reason for being sent home was.
· Judge halts New York plan to turn yellow cabs green. New York City's plan to turn its entire fleet of yellow cabs green by 2012 was halted on Friday by a federal judge who ruled that regulation of fuel emissions standards falls under federal, not city, authority.
· Accused molester blames 8-year-old girl. Midvale, Utah police arrested a 27-year-old man Thursday night, a month after he allegedly sexually abused his girlfriend's 8-year-old daughter - and then blamed the incident on the child.
· Stevens: 'I've Not Been Convicted Yet.' Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens told one of his home-state newspapers Thursday that "I've not been convicted yet," despite being found guilty of seven felonies in his federal corruption case earlier in the week.
· Three Reporters From McCain-Endorsing Newspapers Removed From Obama's Plane. Journalists from three major newspapers that endorsed John McCain - the Washington Times, the New York Post and the Dallas Morning News - have been booted from Barack Obama's campaign plane. The three newspapers' reporters were told to find alternative transportation by Sunday so that the plane could accommodate "network bigwigs" and reporters from two black magazines, Essence and Jet.
· Will Trade Sex For Obama Tickets. What would you give up to be at the Obama rally in Chicago's Grant Park? Here's the best of the Craigslist ads seeking tickets to the Tuesday rally.
· Man sets self aflame at Seattle college. A 61-year-old former University of Washington staff member doused himself with gasoline and set himself ablaze Thursday in the midst of a crowded campus plaza. He died a short time later.
· Two arrested after Obama effigy found on Kentucky campus. Two men have been arrested in connection with an effigy of Sen. Barack Obama hanging from a tree outside a building at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, police said Thursday. "This was a serious incident. It caused a lot of wounds to be opened from racial tension," authorities said.
· Obama Lays Plans to Kill Expectations After Election Victory. Confident in an Election Day win, the campaign looks to lower supporters' expectations on concerns their hopes of 'change' are unrealistic, a senior aide says.
· Searchers Find Bones, Fossett's License at Crash Site. Searchers have found what appear to be two large human bones near the crash site of Steve Fossett's plane in California's Sierra Nevada, along with the adventurer's tennis shoes and driver's license, authorities said Thursday.
· Cheating hubby's wild murder plot. Police said the cheating hubby's scheme was full of holes, but his big mistake was being seen fleeing his wife's abandoned car - in a bright yellow Mustang.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
· Woman Buys Foreclosed Home and Gives It Back to Owner. A Texas woman went to a housing auction distraught about the prospect of watching strangers bid on her foreclosed home. Then one of those strangers bought it back for her.
· Cindy Sheehan's Campaign Headquarters Heavily Damaged in Late Night Attack. Just 5 days before the election, at 3a.m. on October 30th, all of the front windows of the Cindy Sheehan for Congress campaign offices were shattered. Although staffers had been in the office less than an hour earlier, no one was in the building at the time of the incident. No one was hurt and there were no witnesses.
· Disney Worker, 13 Others, Arrested In Undercover Child-Porn Operation. Fourteen men, including a worker at Disney's Animal Kingdom, were arrested Thursday in an undercover child pornography investigation in Polk County.
· Heidi Klum and Seal will leave U.S. if McCain wins. Seal and Heidi Klum join the list of celebrities threatening to leave the U.S. if John McCain wins Tuesday. Seal told this month's Vanity Fair: "If McCain is elected and America staggers on further towards the abyss, then we will leave the country." Seal is British and can't vote in the U.S. anyway.
· Ohio: Can't check voter fraud because system "too fragile." It is impossible to cross-check nearly 700,000 voter registrations filed this year without crashing Ohio's registration system, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said Thursday. She added that the entire system will have to be rebuilt after next week's election so that fraud can be more easily detected. Brunner said she discovered the system was too fragile to double-check the names.
· Unable to vote, noncitizen immigrants volunteer. From Florida to California, they're working hard on the upcoming election - knocking on doors in ethnic neighborhoods, manning the phones in myriad languages and distributing political flyers. But come Tuesday, they won't vote. They can't: They're not citizens.
· Man Jailed After two Ate From Same Plate at Buffet. A Texas man was jailed last week after refusing to pay for a second buffet meal after his girlfriend "ate a couple bites from his plate."
· Update: Covering the Tracks of Murder. The Long Island man charged with killing his teacher wife choked her to death and then staged an elaborate scene to make it look like she was abducted after her car got a flat tire, police said Thursday.
· Lawsuit: Priest seduced me. A Viagra-popping vicar from a Queens Catholic church seduced a parishioner by insisting it was "ordained by God," the woman, Judith Rodrigues-Lytwyn, charged in a lawsuit against the priest.
· MSNBC's Maddow: "He had me at the waving wheat." And other quotes from Barack Obama's blanketed infomercial.
· Obama's prime-time ad skips over budget realities. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was less than upfront in his half-hour commercial Wednesday night about the costs of his programs and the crushing budget pressures he would face in office. A sampling of what voters heard in the ad, and what he didn't tell them.
· Update: West Hollywood Homeowners Pull Down Sarah Palin Effigy. An effigy of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has been taken down from a West Hollywood home, after the homeowner discussed the situation with the city's mayor.
· FBI Warns of 'Anthrax' Letters Sent to Media Outlets. The FBI is warning media outlets to be vigilant about opening their mail after a California man was arrested on suspicion of sending more than 100 hoax letters labeled "anthrax" to newspapers and TV stations.
· Body of missing Long Island teacher found; husband arrested. Long Island teacher Leah Walsh's husband was arrested in her murder Wednesday night - hours after the missing woman's naked body was found in a ditch near her home, police said.
· Hidin' Biden. While his windy, off-point pontification was the stuff of legend among his Senate colleagues, Senator Joe Biden is now leashed to a teleprompter even when he is talking in a high school gym that is three-quarters empty.
· Hudson deaths add to South Side Chicago's violence. During the same weekend that county pathologists conducted autopsies on the bodies of actress-singer Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother, they also examined the bodies of six other people who'd been gunned down or beaten to death. The deaths are yet another reminder of the bloodshed on Chicago's streets this year — when the city has seen more homicides than both New York and Los Angeles. And it explains why residents of Hudson's childhood neighborhood say it's not surprising that people may have heard gunfire coming from her family home but didn't bother to call police.
· Yahoo, AOL may merge. Yahoo Inc and Time Warner Inc's AOL unit are looking at each other's books to figure out how much money they could make together and where costs can be saved, a person familiar with the talks said on Wednesday, indicating a merger may be on the way.
· Huffington Post writer stabs her lesbian lover 200 times with screwdriver. A woman who lived with her ex-partner in Boynton Beach, Florida stabbed her former lover more than 200 times with a Phillips-head screwdriver and then tried to conceal the killing, police said.
· Girl returns $1,000 found in Richard Simmons tape. The best bargain at the Salvation Army thrift store in Kailua-Kona was a Richard Simmons videotape. But Mikela Mercier, 11, decided to pass up the chance to buy the tape for a few coins after she found a surprise inside: $1,000 in $100 bills.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
· Delta and Northwest Merge. Delta Air Lines, Inc. and Northwest Airlines, Inc. today merged, creating a premier global airline with service to nearly all of the world's major travel markets.
· Golfer John Daly Passes Out At Hooters, Spends Night In Jail. PGA golfer John Daly spent a night in jail this weekend after Winston-Salem police found him intoxicated outside a Hooters restaurant, police said.
· Gov't prepares loan modification plan. The government is preparing to unveil a plan as soon as Thursday guaranteeing around 3 million mortgages to troubled homeowners, sources said. The government is contemplating a guarantee of about $500 billion in mortgages. More than 4 million American homeowners with a mortgage were at least one payment behind on their loans at the end of June.
· University President: Obama effigy a “despicable act.” An effigy of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama was found hanging from a tree on the University of Kentucky campus this morning, according to university officials. UK President Lee Todd said officers with both the University Police Department and the Lexington Police Department are investigating the incident, and the Secret Service has been notified.
· Casey Anthony has infamous pen pal. Convicted killer Scott Peterson has been writing to Casey Anthony, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Peterson, who's now on California's death row, was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife Laci.
· Obama Accepting Prepaid Credit Cards. “Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is allowing donors to use largely untraceable prepaid credit cards that could potentially be used to evade limits on how much an individual is legally allowed to give or to mask a contributor’s identity, campaign officials confirmed,” reports the Washington Post’s Matthew Mosk.
· Nebraska Governor (finally) calls for safe haven special session. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman called a special legislative session in the wake of numerous abandoned children at Nebraska hospitals, saying the law needs to be rewritten to focus on its original intent - protecting infants.
· 'America's Sheriff' Facing Corruption Trial in California. Opening statements begin this morning in the federal public corruption trial of former Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona, who was once dubbed "America's sheriff." The 53-year-old Carona is charged with conspiracy, mail fraud and witness tampering. Also charged are his alleged mistress and his wife.
· Lincoln library director axed. Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich fired the executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum on Tuesday after revelations that he was arrested for shoplifting. Rick Beard, 61, made more than $200,000 a year, but was pinched trying to steal a $40 DVD box set at Target.
· Obama's daughter: "Are you going to interrupt my TV?" Flush with cash from his record-shattering fundraising, Barack Obama will be a one-man television blitz on Wednesday, saturating prime-time with a 30-minute ad that includes CBS, NBC, FOX, MSNBC, and BET. Appearing on Jay Leno's talk show Monday, Obama's wife, Michelle, said 10-year-old daughter Malia got a little worried to hear that her dad's infomercial would blanket TV. "'You're going to be on all the TV? Are you going to interrupt my TV?'" Malia asked.
· Substitute Teacher Drunk In Class. A substitute teacher at Edmond Memorial High School in Oklahoma was arrested Friday on suspicion of being drunk in class. Charlene Banks, 48, slurred her speech, stood unsteadily and generally smelled like alcohol, police said.
· Jerry Seinfeld stirred fear over cookbook battle. In court papers filed Tuesday, Missy Chase Lapine, the author of "Sneaky Chef," is suing Seinfeld for defamation and his wife, Jessica, for copyright infringement. She claims Jessica Seinfeld's best-selling cookbook "Deceptively Delicious" is a ripoff of her one-of-a-kind idea for sneaking veggies into kid foods.
· Warden's wife, killer lived as couple, witness says. The wife of a deputy warden and the prisoner she's accused of helping escape lived as man and wife in a small trailer on a chicken ranch in east Texas for more than a decade, an investigator testified Monday.
· California man killed by police in mistaken identity. A newlywed killed by police after he stepped outside his Aanaheim home to confront suspected burglars was shot in a case of mistaken identity, police said. Julian Alexander's father Jerry said Alexander got married last weekend and his 19-year-old wife is expecting a baby in December.
· Actress' death center stage again in Spector trial. The death of actress Lana Clarkson at Phil Spector's hillside castle stunned Hollywood five years ago. It is a distant memory now as Spector, the eccentric musical genius behind some of rock 'n' roll's biggest sounds, goes on trial for a second time. It's a year since the jury in his first murder trial failed to reach a verdict, bringing a mistrial and now a retrial.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
· 'Arrogant' former Detroit mayor sentenced to jail. Calling him "arrogant and defiant," a Wayne County Judge today sentenced former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to four months in jail with no early release under the terms of a plea deal.
· McCain camp demands L.A. Times release video. John McCain's campaign is demanding that the Los Angeles Times release a video of a party for a prominent Palestinian activist that Barack Obama attended in 2003.
· Jennifer Hudson's 7-year-old nephew shot multiple times. "It wasn't a case of a stranger-type homicide," said Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis. While nobody has been charged with the murders, cops are holding 27-year-old William (Flex) Balfour, the estranged husband of Hudson's sister, Julia.
· Hudson suspect had June drug arrest. Documents show that the suspect in the Chicago murders of three members of Jennifer Hudson's family was arrested for drug possession in June, but state officials didn't revoke his parole.
· Ohio man fires at teens who vandalized his McCain lawn sign. According to a Warren Township Police Department report, Patrick Wise, 16, yelled, "This is for Obama" as he knocked over the McCain sign in Kenneth Rowles' yard. Rowles allegedly grabbed a rifle and fired three times at the duo as they sought to drive away, striking one of the boys.
· DA: Criminal charges possible in boy's Uzi death. Authorities in Massachusetts are considering whether criminal charges should be filed in the death of an 8-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself with an Uzi submachine gun at a gun show.
· Dow jumps nearly 900 as investors seek bargains. It's been another astounding day on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones industrials soaring nearly 900 points as investors scooped up stocks that were pounded lower in recent sessions.
· Los Angeles Sheriff: 'Sarah Palin' hanging by a noose is not a hate crime. Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said the mannequin sporting a beehive hairdo, glasses and a red coat does not rise to the level of a hate crime because it was part of a Halloween display. "If the same display had been made of a Barack Obama-like doll, for example, authorities would have to evaluate it independently," Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
· BrassiereGate: State senator arrested by FBI. State Senator Diane Wilkerson allegedly stuffed a $1,000 cash payoff into her bra during a meeting with an informant. Wilkerson was arrested this morning after an 18-month undercover investigation by Boston Police and the FBI in which she allegedly accepted eight bribes worth $23,500.
· Speeder: 'It was my cell phone's fault.' Police jailed a Springfield teen after she sped away from a state trooper through a construction zone at 107 mph - and then told the trooper she was having trouble seeing while talking on her cell phone, according to Oregon State Police.
· Take Election Day off from work. Barack Obama is encouraging his supporters to take Election Day off from work or school and volunteer to help get out the vote and "Make History on Election Day."
· 'Obama Wins!,' newspaper declares. For The New Mexico Sun News it is either a major scoop or “Dewey Beats Truman” déjà vu 60 years later. “Obama Wins!” is the headline of the edition on newsstands now, complete with “special collector’s edition” in red bold typeface.
· Even many liberals hate MSNBC. In a room full of television industry executives, no one seemed inclined to defend MSNBC on Monday for what some were calling its lopsidedly liberal coverage of the presidential election. MSNBC is "completely out of control," said writer-producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, a self-proclaimed liberal Democrat.
· Woman files lawsuit over husband's missing brain. The outraged widow of a Central Islip, New York man has filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit charging that his brain has been lost for more than two years following an autopsy by the Office of The Suffolk County Medical Examiner.
· Stevens to Alaska voters: 'Stand with me.' Proclaiming his innocence, convicted Republican Sen. Ted Stevens asked Alaskans to "stand with me" as he pledged to defend the Senate seat he has held since 1968. A jury on Monday convicted Stevens of seven counts of making false statements on Senate ethics forms to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and work on his Alaska home from an oilfield contractor at the center of a corruption investigation in the state.
· Colin Powell: Stevens' reputation 'sterling.' Colin Powell, the retired Army general and former secretary of state, characterized Sen. Ted Stevens in court Friday as a "trusted individual" and a man with a "sterling" reputation.
· Teenager Runs Away, Hides in Garbage Bin, Ends Up in Garbage Truck. Hamden police say a 13-year-old boy escaped injury after he ended up in the back of a garbage truck after hiding in a commercial trash container. Police say the boy was hiding in the bin after running away from the Children's Center. The trash container was picked up and emptied into a garbage truck Monday morning.