|
Latest In Sports
Gillis takes the long way to the BMW Championship
(AP)
Katarina Witt takes bigger role in Munich 2018 bid (AP)
Djokovic out to spoil Federer-Nadal dream US Open final (AFP)
AP source: Tom Brady unhurt after Boston car wreck (AP) AP - An official says New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was unhurt after a car accident in Boston. Federer fights off wind to reach US Open semis (AP)
Homestead-Miami off 2011 IndyCar schedule (AP) AP - Homestead-Miami Speedway is off the 2011 Indy Racing League schedule, a decision that some of the series' top drivers are not thrilled about. Patriots quarterback Brady in car crash: report (Reuters) Reuters - New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who led his team to three NFL championships, was involved in an auto accident in Boston on Thursday morning, local media reported. Lakers' Barnes booked on domestic violence charge (AP)
Clemens' lawyers ask NY judge to toss suit (AP)
Tiger works on swing heading into BMW Championship (AP)
Reggie Bush: Heisman matter 'out of my hands' (AP)
Rookie Luebke leads Padres past Dodgers (AP)
Fighting words: UFC chief to speak at Oxford club (AP) AP - The distinguished Oxford University debate club has featured such speakers as Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and Malcolm X. Vikings-Saints 'encore' kicks off NFL season (AP)
Basso, Sanchez headline ProTour's North American debut (Reuters) Reuters - Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso and Olympic road race champion Samuel Sanchez are among the big names competing in Canada this week as the ProTour arrives on North American soil for the first time. Crosby homers as Penguins take batting practice (AP) AP - If the Pittsburgh Pirates need an answer to their power-hitting problems, maybe they can find it across town in Penguins star Sidney Crosby. Alabama-PSU rivalry has produced classic moments (AP)
Rooney told to expect hostile reception at Everton (AFP)
New 5th Street Gym to Open (AP) AP - A new 5th Street Gym will open next month on the site of the famous gym where Muhammad Ali and other top boxers trained.
Other News
Bill O?Reilly Humiliates Sarah Palin On Fox News
Sarah Palin made another rash appearance on Bill O?Reilly?s "The Factor" Friday night, wherein he grilled her about immigration reform. The half-term governor left the Fox News Channel program angry and humilitated as O?Reilly exposed Palin?s limited knowledge for the Fox News crowd to see. You have to watch the video for yourself.
Does Unemployment Insurance Encourage Laziness? While on the surface unemployment seems like a perfectly reasonable expense for the country, at its core it fails in the same way that most welfare systems do. The bureaucrats who run these organizations have no method of policing their systems, leading to rampant abuse.
The Disappearing Intellectual We live at a time that might be appropriately called the age of the disappearing intellectual, a disappearance that marks with disgrace a particularly dangerous period in American history.
'Yup, I'm a racist' t-shirts sold at July 4th Festival "When I heard that there were people at the Lexington July 4th Festival selling t-shirts with the slogan, ?Yup, I?m a racist? emblazoned on the front, I just had to see for myself." (Includes video)
Digg v4: release, iterate, repeat. At Digg it's our job to try new things, analyze the usage data, iterate, and evolve. While not everyone is happy w/the new design, as of right now the usage looks extremely good (ie. more people registering (43,000+ new users yesterday), digging, consuming, clicking, following, etc.). Our top priority is to stabilize the site, then we'll look at the data/feedback and make decisions on what to change going forward. That said, I want to address some of the common concerns I've seen dug up. The upcoming section is gone.Out of 200+ Million pageviews in July, only 0.4% was from upcoming (yes, that's less than 1/2 of a percent). I definitely see the fun behind wanting to see stories just before they jump, so we'll add a view of upcoming popular stories soon. Mainstream outlets and power users have been given more power over the front page.All diggs are still equal, nothing has changed there. Our directory of recommended users will eventually open to the entire world. We will sort users, not on popularity (followers), but based on how good you are at finding/digging content (similar to wefollow.com). This will remove the popularity contest and put the focus on quality diggers. The default homepage is now "My News" and cannot be changed.Makes sense, we'll add this setting. All your favorites have been deletedOur fault, we'll add these to your "saved stories" section. Comments from your friends preempt the main discussion.This was by design, we wanted to give you a quick way to see your friends comments. The comment box is three lines high, not resizable, and type out light blue text on white.We just changed the text to dark grey, we'll look into the resizing. Timestamps have been removed.This is a bug, hope to have this fixed soon. The bury button is gone.By removing the bury button we have put a stop to the bury brigades. The "hide" button next to every story also acts as a "report" button, if enough people hide a story a site moderator is notified and we review it for TOS violations. The report button is gone.It's located on every permalink page (comments page) under the story description. Historicalsubmissions, like the Obama victory thread, have had their digg counts reset and their comment sections mangled.We will fix this. The color scheme has changed.We refreshed the design. If something is unusable (hard to read etc.) please let us know. The thumb up and down icons have been replaced w/arrows.Look at v3, now back again, the arrows are now diamonds! Browsing a users comment history is hard.We'll add a comments filter in your profile. All usernames are now lower-case.We'll fix this. The RSS feeds no longer work.This is a bug, we'll fix this. All third-party tools are now broken.This is a bug, hope to have this fixed soon. Some of these fixes/features will take longer than others, we hope to have the bulk of these issues resolved soon. Keep the feedback coming, thanks!
Is It Zooey Deschanel or Katy Perry? Im always confused whenever I see Katy Perry or Zooey Deschanel. Its really kinda crazy how much these doe-eyed ladies look alike and for awhile I thought they were the same person. Then I saw this picture: Zooey Deschanel and Katy Perry OK. So, now Im convinced that they are different people but I still get them mixed up. Usually I go by the clothes or the cleavage. If it looks like something a grandma would wear it is most likely Zooey. If there are 2 humongous boobs barely hanging onto a small sliver of clothes acting as a bra it is most likely Katy. But theres a lot of middle ground with the two as they both like to dress quirky and have that wide-eyed look. Sometimes its too hard to tell which is which so thats why I made this awesome gallery of Zooey Deschanel and Katy Perry to help you distinguish the two.
@MrBabyMan says: Please dont let individual content curation die! Please dont let individual content curation die out for the sake of RSS auto-fed publisher accounts: - I clipped this quite long Twitlonger from @MrBabyMan He has some interesting thoughts about the New Digg. I like it. Follow me on the new Digg here: http://digg.com/svartlingClipped from www.twitlonger.com On Saturday 28th August 2010, @MrBabyMan said: @KevinRose @Digg_community Please dont let individual content curation die out for the sake of RSS auto-fed publisher accounts. Ive been telling the Digg team this since I was invited to Digg HQ to test the V4 alpha earlier this year. Publisher accounts are currently dominating Diggs front page. I completely understand the financial need to engage publishers, but without the individual-user posts that, in my opinion, made Digg a unique destination for original content, the new Digg has no more relevance than a Popurls or an Alltop (sorry, Guy), merely repeating (relinking) what everyone else is linking.My concern is, that if Digg solely exists now to serve mainstream publishers, then it may as well be a publisher-to-publisher service, as the appeal for the individual user to visit the site will have been replaced by a constant stream of ad-supported marketing. Im not concerned for Diggs former users, as there are plenty of other destinations for them to find unique, original content, but it saddens me to see Digg, once the best of the best destination, stray from its core competency.Read more at www.twitlonger.com
Stewart: FOX Failed To Mention Co-Owner Is One They Accuse O Jon Stewart continued his coverage of the "Ground Zero Mosque" debate last night, focusing on Fox News' incongruities harder than he ever has. In a segment called "The Parent Company Trap," Stewart shared with his viewers how Fox News' plan to "follow the money" from mosque builder Imam Rauf to terrorists will be
Can We Trust People Who Find God on Their Deathbeds? What is it, finally, that divides the believer from the atheist? The question comes to mind in observing renowned atheist Christopher Hitchens endure, in full public view, metastatic esophageal cancer.
Michelle Obama Visits NAACP on Eve of Tea Party Condemnation The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is considering a resolution condemning what it calls racist elements in the Tea Party movement, a charge that conservative leaders say is driven solely by a political agenda.
New Digg Is Live: What It Means For Digg and For You After a month of testing the new alpha version to invite-only users, Diggs redesigned site is live for everyone. The new interface and functionality of the social news network focuses on the personalized news stream, My News, which shows stories dugg by users you choose to follow (similar to Twitter), rather than the most popular news (note: at press time, the new site is still experiencing some downtime issues).The company has had a turbulent year. In April, Founder Kevin Rose became CEO after Jay Adelson stepped down, reportedly in part because Diggs venture capitalists were frustrated that they had yet to see a return on the $40 million invested in the company despite staff cuts in 2009 to improve profitability.The site has also been struggling with a decline in traffic, according to Compete.com, only further increasing the pressure to reinvent itself.A New Digg ExperienceThis site also has an improved content submission process. The Digg It submission bar appears prominently at the top center of the page. Users no longer have to navigate to a separate page to submit content, and users can also easily share submissions via Twitter, Facebook or e-mail. Digg also has a range of new, unique features, such as saving stories to read for later.The SUL and Working with PublishersTaking more cues from Twitter, the new Digg makes it easier to discover users to follow with its own version of the Suggested User List, which includes media publishers and celebrity figures like Ashton Kutcher, who, by the way, doesnt have nearly as many followers (4,000+) as he does on Twitter.The SUL and Diggs initiative to recruit big brands to follow seems to be paying off. Some of the accounts listed, including Mashables, have grown from a few hundred followers to thousands in just a month. In an e-mail sent to publishers this week, Diggs new Product Manager Mike Cieri highlighted Diggs help page for new publishers and its plans to help publishers drive traffic and revenue, including improved analytics and reporting, additional incoming feed capabilities, and improving the discovery process to ensure all publishers are being found and followed on Digg. Working with brands and publishers has helped generate user interest and revenue for sites like Foursquare and Twitter, and Digg will likely try to do the same.Too Much or Too Little Too Late?Despite the many improvements to the interface and overall experience on the site, only time will tell as to whether the redesign is too much or too little too late. First, the redesign may be too much of a shift for Diggs core users, who have traditionally have driven much of the activity on the site, even after the Top Digger list was removed. Because the emphasis is now on a self-curated stream, its top diggers may be alienated. However, if the new functionality works to attract a more mainstream userbase, then Digg still wins.Alternatively, the changes may not be enough. Digg is clearly taking lessons from the likes of Twitter and Facebook in regards to how content is being shared on those platforms. But is this redesign really the re-imagining of a platform or just a band-aid that will only stop the bleeding temporarily? After all, content submission is still largely automated through a link submission process or an RSS feed, and the comments, opinions and conversation is mostly secondary part of the experience. This is still far from Facebook and Twitter, where the opinion and commentary of the user sharing the content is nearly as important as the content itself, featured prominently on in the Twitter stream or Facebook News Feed with the link or content blurb below.ConclusionWhat Digg may benefit from is the new seamlessness of the submission and consumption processes. Users that are looking for a curated stream alongside the popular content can do it on Digg. The majority of Diggs userbase will likely find the new design refreshing and it very well may gain some traction among users that feel overwhelmed with the real-time news stream or the pontifications in their news feed. Better yet, Digg may attract a whole new audience looking for a place to discover news through curated sources.What are your thoughts? Do you like the new Digg? Will the new version attract more users to the struggling social news site or is it taking its last breaths?Follow Mashable on DiggReviews: Digg, Facebook, Foursquare, Mashable, TwitterMore About: digg, digg.com, facebook, jay adelson, kevin rose, social bookmarking, social media, social news, social sharing, twitterFor more Social Media coverage:Follow Mashable Social Media on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Social Media channelDownload our free apps for iPhone and iPad
President Obama to GOP: 'You can't have the keys back!\ Not until you learn how to drive. The president said the Republican Party lack one "single, solitary new idea" and are "betting on amnesia" to help them in November. He likened the GOP to a driver who has gone into a ditch, and after not helping to push the car out, demands the keys back.
Tea Party Puts Up Billboard Linking Obama to Hitler & Lenin A billboard created by an Iowa tea party group that compares President Obama to Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin is drawing sharp criticism, even from fellow tea party activists who have condemned it as offensive and a waste of money.
The Campaign Against a Mosque at Ground Zero is Un-American Republicans and leaders of other faiths are rallying against the building by a Muslim organization of a "community center"?including a mosque?two blocks from Ground Zero, calling it a threat to American values. But the threat to our values isn't coming from the mosque. It's coming from those who want to stop it.
Judge Blocks Parts Of Arizona's Immigration Law A federal judge "has" blocked controversial sections of Arizona's immigration law from taking effect.
238 presidential scholars: Bush worst leader of modern era It's one thing for a coterie of liberals at a late-night Washington soirée to say that George W. Bush was the worst president in their lifetimes. It's another thing when the same is said by the nation's 238 leading presidential scholars, who have been polled annually for the last 28 years.
Wed at 14, 'adulterous' girl, awaits stoning in Iran She was only 14 when she was forced into marriage with an older man. Within a year of her wedding, Azar Bagheri was charged with adultery and sentenced to be stoned to death. In the past 4 years she has been on death row waiting to reach maturity so she could be put to death. She had been subjected to two mock stonings in this time.
It's Really Starting to Feel Like 1932 "Home sales are down. Retail sales are down. Factory orders in May suffered their biggest tumble since March of last year. So what are we doing about it? Less than nothing," he said. California is tightening faster than Greece. State workers have seen a 14pc fall in earnings this year due to forced furloughs. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is...
Anthony Weiner Goes Ballistic At GOP House Republicans late Thursday were able to corral enough votes to defeat a bill that would have provided up to $7.4 billion in aid to those sickened by toxins resulting from the 9/11 attacks.
Tea Party Condemns Bigoted NAACP, says it has failed Blacks. A Tea Party group in Missouri, reacting to the NAACP's plan to take up a resolution branding the conservative movement as "racist," has drafted a resolution of its own condemning the civil rights group for reducing itself to a "bigoted" and "partisan attack dog organization."
Palin: "Obama Lacks the Balls to Tackle Immigration" Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Sunday that Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) has "the cojones" that President Obama "does not have" to take on illegal immigration.
Obama throws support behind controversial Islamic center President Obama threw his support behind a controversial proposal to build an Islamic center and mosque near New York's ground zero, saying Friday that "Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country."
How could an American president be so anti-American? After an initial grace period in which most Americans were willing to give a new president the benefit of the doubt, what this nation has steadily watched is a man and an administration almost exclusively governing against the will of the people
Dr. Laura's Shocking, N-Word Filled Racist Rant (Audio) Yesterday, Dr. Laura Schlessenger shocked her radio show audience when she argued with a black woman about racism and?among other things?said the word "nigger" six times. Today, Schlessenger apologized for her incredibly offensive rant. Audio and transcripts, inside.
Android May Now Be Largest Smartphone Platform in US Android has overtaken BlackBerry and iPhone sales to hold the largest share of the smartphone market in the US, Canalys argued today.
Violent Anti-Mosque crowd turns on Black Carpenter at Ground A man walks through the crowd at the Ground Zero protest and is mistaken as a Muslim. The crowd turns on him and confronts him. The man in the blue hard hat ...
Anderson Cooper Interviews Horrid Texas Bigot: Video Texas Republican state legislator Rep. Debbie Riddle was not prepared for Anderson Cooper Tuesday night. Riddle appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 to discuss the threat of terror babies a supposed threat, in which terrorist organizations send pregnant women to the United States to have their children, who would be US\r\n
Every legal household in US pays $1,117 for Illegals a year The cost of harboring illegal immigrants in the United States is a staggering $113 billion a year -- an average of $1,117 for every native-headed household in America -- according to a study conducted by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).
Prop C passes in MO - First State to Reject Healthcare Bill Dog-killing DEA agents and now this. I hate my state.
Obama Says Republicans Would Lead Country Back to Recession President Barack Obama said House Republicans would reverse the U.S. economic recovery and increase the deficit, sounding a campaign theme before November elections that will determine whether Democrats retain control of Congress. Obama, speaking in his weekly address on radio and the Internet, pounced on Republican opposition to funding clean...
The 9 Stupidest Things Americans Believe As polls will show, Americans are dumb. The sooner we accept this, the better.
Digg 4 Goes Live-ish to the Public For a few months now, Digg has been beta testing a radically new version of its popular social news aggregation site. Those lucky enough to secure an invitation have been experimenting with Digg's new social focused "My News" section which provides curated news feeds based on the activity of your friends and the people you choose to follow. Today, Digg has flipped the switch and launched version 4 to the public, but it hasn't been a smooth transition. Sponsor Apparently Digg itself is suffering from a bit of the Digg effect. Upon announcing the new launch and turning on the servers, Digg went down quite swiftly. The official Digg twitter account responded to the outage, thanking people "for all your interest in the new Digg," adding that they were in the process of adding more capacity. Given all the traffic Digg sees on a daily basis, it seems unlikely that a sudden glut of visitors could bring the site down. What's more likely, is that pushing the new Digg has resulted in some temporary slowness. But hey, server speed, schmerver speed - here's a reminder of the new features now available on Digg. My News - If you visit the page while logged in to your Digg account, your new homepage is called "My News" where stories your friends have commented, dugg, and shared are aggregated. Digg now makes it very easy to find and follow your friends or your favorite outlets and personalities by pulling contacts from Facebook, Twitter and the like. Auto Post from RSS - Digg has simplified the submission process on the homepage and has also made it possible to import RSS feeds directly into your account. This could be very powerful for publishers who want to quickly get their content out on the site automatically without the hassle of actually visiting the site. Some have criticized Digg's more social and publisher-friendly approach, but I for one think it's a wise move. The social side of things makes finding relevant stories much easier and actually encourages interaction with the site through digging and commenting. I know now that my friends are more likely to see a story if I digg it or comment, so I'm more vested to actually do those things. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the Digg population reacts to the new changes once the site is actually speedy enough to be used again. Just as with any site, there are bound to be many who are enraged about the new layout, but I think Digg 4 is going to win over more than it turns off in the end. Are you fan of the changes? Go check out the new Digg (don't worry about adding to their server woes!) and let us know what you think in the comments below! Discuss
Should We Raise Tax Rates on the Rich? There are a couple of things to consider here. First, there's an element of special pleading in these articles, which appear fairly regularly from the coastal financial journalism community.
Massive Censorship Of Digg Uncovered If this gets buried it's all true.
One Marketing. Agencia Integral de Publicidad y Modelos - Bienvenidos One Marketing, Agencia Integral de Publicidad y Modelos, Nuestros servicios incluyen: Mercadotecnia, Diseño Gráfico, Publicidad Impresa, Desarrollo Web, Modelos y Edecanes, Fotografía Profesional, Medios Masivos, Aplicaciones Multimedia, Organización de Eventos, Publicidad POP, Stands y Displays, Artículos Promocionales
Tech News
YouTube for the Enterprise? Adobe Unleashes Flash Media Server 4
YouTube's daily tally of roughly two billion downloads proves that viewing video is among the most popular activities among Internet users. Now Adobe, creator of the ubiquitous Flash Player, has introduced several solutions that could make video standard fare on corporate networks as well. How Linux Land Got Better Since Last Summer If the end of the year is a good time to take stock of all that's passed in the preceding 12 months, then why not the end of the summer? That, indeed, is just what Linux bloggers have been doing over the past week or so, thanks to a recent Open Ballot on TuxRadar. "Out of all the changes we've seen in the Linux world in the last year, what's your favourite?" was the question being posed. Nike's New GPS App Leaves the Old Shoe-Chip System in the Dust The Nike+iPod system has been a great idea from the get-go: Use this music machine not only to play tunes while you run, but also to measure your time and distance, provide audible updates on your stats and keep track of your progress over a period of weeks, months or years. Even if you're a purist who shuns on-the-run music, you might get something out of Nike+'s other features. Google Answers Searches Before You're Finished Asking Google on Wednesday announced what it says are even faster Web search capabilities in its new "Google Instant" service. Billed as "search before you type," the new feature uses predictive analysis to search the Web for the most likely matches as the user is typing in a query and streams results in real time according to its predictions. Burning Rubber on the Internet Superhighway Online commerce is in its prime. Never before has a similar priority been placed on Web presence by organizations in every industry. Even brick-and-mortar companies are scrambling to put their best foot forward in the online world and not be eclipsed by their more technology-savvy competitors. Clam or Klam? Either Way, It's Easy Linux Protection Have you run a virus scan lately? Nope? Don't need to, you say. That's because you run a Linux OS. Think again. To quote the title line of Bob Dylan's third studio album, "the times they are a-changin.'" Yes they are. And part of that change is the greater risk of malware attacks to the Linux operating system. It used to be that Linux was so iron-clad safe security-wise that virus intrusions did not exist. Android May Paddle Samsung Canoe Into Turbulent Web TV Waters Samsung may begin building televisions with the Android operating system built in, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. Yoon Boo Keun, head of Samsung's TV business line, reportedly said the company is reviewing whether to use Android, an OS more commonly found in various smartphones, in a new line of TV sets. The Ultimate Jailbreaker, Part 3 While the cloud appears to be the ultimate jailbreaker, it is prudent to remember that a freed device is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, the phone becomes a truer handheld computer, fully enabled to exceed native carrier and device restrictions. On the other hand, the phone becomes a miniature computer prone to mega security problems. Why Do We Love Linux? When you're a fan of Linux, any blog post entitled "27 Good Reasons to Love Linux" is going to be impossible to resist. No wonder, then, that a recent post with just that title has created endless fodder for conversation in the Linux blogosphere of late. Among the reasons listed in said post were the usual arguments in favor of Linux's attractive price and superior security, of course. Apple TV Should Get a Nice Reception During Apple's media announcement last week, CEO Steve Jobs said two critically important things about Apple TV, the first of which was this: Apple TV owners love their Apple TVs. "They absolutely love them -- and use them a lot," he stressed. I'm one of these Apple TV lovers, and I have been for the last three-plus years. 3Par: Pyrrhic Victory for HP or Strategic Defeat for Dell? The entire future of a company or industry can hinge on a single deal. The $50,000 IBM paid to license Windows was the foundation for Microsoft and the technology industry for the last couple of decades. The sale of 3Par could also be one of those pivotal deals, as huge firms like HP, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Dell, VMware, Cisco and EMC position themselves around the new "cloud" opportunity.
Animals & Pets
Spotted owl to get revised recovery plan
(AP)
AP - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it will use the best scientific data to revise a 2008 Bush administration recovery plan for the northern spotted owl. PETA says video shows cat, dog abuse at NC lab (AP) AP - An animal-welfare group believes workers at a North Carolina research lab abused dogs, cats and rabbits, and the activists released what they said was undercover video of caretakers handling the animals violently. 2 panda cubs born in Spanish zoo (AP)
Greenpeace urges Japan to probe whaling graft (AFP)
NGOs call for Romanian minister to be sacked for GM links (AFP)
Japan convicts Greenpeace's 'Tokyo Two' for whaling investigation (The Christian Science Monitor) The Christian Science Monitor - A Greenpeace effort to expose what it sees as widespread corruption in Japan's government-subsidized whaling industry ended on Monday with two of its activists convicted of theft and trespassing. Greek wildlife groups condemn mass mink release (AFP)
After 20 years of protection, owl declining but forests remain (McClatchy Newspapers) McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Twenty years after northern spotted owls were protected under the Endangered Species Act, their numbers continue to decline, and scientists aren't certain whether the birds will survive even though logging was banned on much of the old-growth forest in the Pacific Northwest where they live in order to save them. Sacramento eatery takes 'dancing shrimp' off menu (AP) AP - A Sacramento restaurant agreed to stop serving live shrimp after an animal-rights group said the practice was cruel to the shellfish. African livelihoods at risk as species threatened: IUCN (AFP)
Strange News
Cup of tea forces jet to make emergency landing
(Reuters)
Reuters - A British airplane en route to Poland was forced to make an emergency landing in Germany after a 56-year-old woman spilled a hot cup of tea on herself, German police said on Wednesday. Firm can't fire man for 1.8 cent theft (Reuters) Reuters - A German company that fired a man for the theft of 1.8 euro cents (two U.S. cents) worth of electricity had no grounds for sacking him, a court ruled, dismissing the firm's appeal against his reinstatement. Malaysia uncovers nearly 100 live reptiles in bag (Reuters) Reuters - Malaysian airport security arrested a convicted wildlife smuggler after finding almost 100 live reptiles in his luggage, the country's Wildlife and National Parks Department said. Mystery eye problem at dairy show caused by cow urine (Reuters) Reuters - The cause of a mystery eye ailment that struck about 50 visitors to a dairy pavilion at an agricultural show in Australia has been traced -- to cow urine. A hoax? Joaquin Phoenix film gets viewers guessing (Reuters) Reuters - Whether a hoax or not, a new documentary about Joaquin Phoenix and his transition from acclaimed, brooding actor to bearded, shambolic hip-hop wannabe has captivated viewers at the Venice film festival. Man arrested for trying to dazzle pilots with laser (Reuters) Reuters - A man appeared in court on Tuesday accused of trying to dazzle pilots with a laser beam as they were landing at France's second-busiest airport Paris Orly, aviation authorities said. Long-lived Dutch might be bad news for insurers (Reuters) Reuters - The Dutch are set to live longer -- good news for them but bad news for insurers that are expected to suffer from higher capital requirements and tighter profit margins as a result. Finance Ministry says defrauded by staffer (Reuters) Reuters - The Dutch Finance Ministry Thursday acknowledged it was defrauded out of more than 160,000 euros ($204,800) earlier this year by an employee of the ministry unit that handles the state's financing needs. Man bites police over a pet peeve (Reuters)
Koranic teachers arrested over child begging (Reuters) Reuters - Senegalese security forces have arrested seven Koranic teachers for forcing children to panhandle, a police official said on Friday, days after the West African state announced a crack down on public begging. Older people enjoy reading negative stories about young (Reuters) Reuters - Older people like reading negative news stories about their younger counterparts because it boosts their own self-esteem, according to a new study. Giant hay bale kills former ELO cellist (Reuters) Reuters - A giant bale of hay has killed a founding member of the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) band after it tumbled down a hill and crashed into his van. Farmer's 24 hour milk filling station a hit (Reuters)
Jaguar dumps swimmer after anti-gay tweet (Reuters)
Tourist treat - famous toilets (Reuters)
German party mistakenly hands out porn pens to kids (Reuters) Reuters - To sweeten their first day at primary school German children are normally given a cardboard cone filled with sweets, but schoolchildren in Essen this year opened their cones to find pens which project erotic images. Dutch colleges angry over sex job ads for freshmen (Reuters) Reuters - A number of Dutch colleges are considering legal action against the publisher of a move-in guide for new freshmen, after the company included an ad recruiting students for jobs as online sex workers. Vuvuzelas banned from European soccer competition (Reuters) Reuters - Vuvuzelas have been kicked out of European competitions after UEFA said that the controversial plastic trumpets drowned out supporters and detracted from the emotion of the game. Canadian parents more lenient than Italians and French (Reuters) Reuters - Canadian parents are more lenient with their children than mothers and fathers in France and Italy, according to a new study.
Opinions
The Gulf Will Be Beautiful Again
(Huffington Post)
Huffington Post - Read Van Jones's other articles on HuffingtonPost.com Beyond the Tea Party (The Weekly Standard) The Weekly Standard - Lively debate continues about just how many people showed up to attend Glenn Beck's rally at the Lincoln Memorial, but there has been less interest in exactly why they showed up. Partisanship Isn't Enough (but It Is Essential) (The Weekly Standard) The Weekly Standard - Glenn Beck's rally for Restoring Honor on August 28 took most everyone by surprise with its nonpartisan appeal. U.S. Left Behind on High Speed Rail (Huffington Post) Huffington Post - Read Barry Levinson's other articles on HuffingtonPost.com The Muslim myth about Obama: He's in good company (The Christian Science Monitor) The Christian Science Monitor - The right wing’s challenge of President Obama’s religious beliefs and the whispering campaign that he is a closet Muslim are more than just shameful bigotry. They are an attack on religious freedom. One jobs idea from Obama that should fly (The Christian Science Monitor) The Christian Science Monitor - Job-creation proposals are flying out of the White House like popcorn these days. Democrats in Congress need all the help they can get to retain power after the Nov. 2 elections. And President Obama is trying desperately to take the chill out of a frosty economy. Morning Vid: 'Edgy' Meghan McCain Justifies Her New Book to Leno (The Atlantic Wire) The Atlantic Wire - On a media blitz to promote her new book Dirty Sexy Politics, Meghan McCain stopped over at Jay Leno's Tonight Show to reveal a couple more tidbits from her father's 2008 presidential campaign. She ends up riffing on how she was sent to an image consultant for being "too edgy," how she overdosed on Xanax pills prior to election day, how she had to "kiss ass" to the secret service agents in order to go anywhere, and yes, her "stripper hair." As for what her father (who has his Senate seat to protect this November) thinks of her memoir, the younger McCain didn't seem too concerned. "He only read it a few days ago," she remarked. Obama must not let Taliban rule over Afghan women again (The Christian Science Monitor) The Christian Science Monitor - In mid-August in the northern Afghanistan province of Kunduz, the Taliban carried out a horrific sentence against two young Afghan lovers who had eloped against their families’ wishes. The punishment was death by stoning. Deemed by Islamic extremists to be justified under sharia law, the process involves partially burying the accused, after which a male crowd hurls stones at the victims’ exposed heads until they die. MEXICO SEETHES WITH CHAOS AS WE FIGHT ABROAD (Georgie Anne Geyer) Georgie Anne Geyer - WASHINGTON -- While many Americans are busily exercising their self-righteousness over Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States is facing a problem of great magnitude close to home. BURN THE QURAN? IT'S UN-CHRISTIAN (Maggie Gallagher) Maggie Gallagher - I have a message for Pastor Terry Jones, who has promised to publicly burn a Quran on Sept. 11: Lessons of Poll Showing Strong GOP Resurgence (The Atlantic Wire) The Atlantic Wire - Four years after Democrats trounced Republicans in the 2006 midterm elections over outrage against the Iraq War, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds the GOP making big gains and ready to retake much of Congress this November. Here's what the poll says and what it means for the political parties and their prospects. Who Is Terry Jones? (Huffington Post) Huffington Post - Read Harry Shearer's other articles on HuffingtonPost.com D.C. SCHOOLS CONTROVERSY SHOWS IT'S HARD TO SHAKE THINGS UP (Cynthia Tucker) Cynthia Tucker - WASHINGTON -- Here in the nation's capital city, something remarkable has happened: Students in the public schools, long regarded as among the nation's worst, have shown dramatic improvement on standardized tests over the last few years. Here's something even more remarkable: Local voters seem indifferent, if not outright hostile, to the reforms that have produced those academic gains. Happy F**kin' Labor Day! (Huffington Post) Huffington Post - Read Michael Moore's other articles on HuffingtonPost.com
Science
Mutated gene cited in some ovarian cancers
Finding may help in screening women with endometriosis for cancer risk The hunchback of central Spain New dinosaur species has a hump plus possible featherlike structures on its arms Mars organics get new lease on life Viking mission may have destroyed compounds that make biology possible while trying to detect them What lies beneath Studies link deforestation to geology and agricultural demand Not in this toad?s backyard Native Indonesian amphibian takes on invading ants Study clarifies obesity-infertility link Effect of insulin in pituitary surprises scientists FOR KIDS: Gulf oil finds many paths Questions, and lots of oil, remain months after Gulf disaster FOR KIDS: Poop-sniffing mice to the rescue Animals can detect droppings left by ducks with Bird Flu Light-harvesting complexes do it themselves New technique could yield self-assembling solar cells Changing one of nature's constants If correct, new finding could upend physicists? view of universe Microbe?s survival manual Researchers uncover how D. radiodurans can withstand extreme radiation DVDs don?t turn toddlers into vocabulary Einsteins But some parents mistakenly think kids do learn words from watching these popular programs String theory entangled Equations can be retooled to describe a strange quantum effect Geomagnetic field flip-flops in a flash Scientists unearth more evidence of superfast changes in Earth?s magnetic polarity Diabetes drug might fight cancer In use for years, metformin has few side effects
Space & Astronomy
To Find Alien Volcanic Eruptions, Look for Foul Gas
(SPACE.com)
SPACE.com - Astronomers may be able to detect volcanic eruptions on Earth-like alien planets, a new study suggests. Asteroid Near-Misses Actually Common, Scientists Say (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Two asteroids swooping past Earth Wednesday may have caught the attention of the public, but events like these are not actually rare, NASA scientists say. Jupiter Dazzles In the Night Sky (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - The planet Jupiter is back in the night sky and has something for every amateur astronomer to enjoy. Turtle egg rescue at space center billed success (AP)
Two asteroids to pass close to Earth, but won't hit: NASA (AFP)
Water main break at space center stalls shuttle (AP)
Space Shuttle Move Delayed By Broken Water Pipe (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - NASA's plan to move the space shuttle Discovery out of its hangar in preparation for its final voyage has been delayed at least a day because of a water main break at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 2 Asteroids to Zoom Between Earth and the Moon's Orbit (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Two asteroids will zip close by the Earth Wednesday and may be visible in telescopes as they zip between our planet and the orbit of the moon. Students Help NASA Crash Satellite On Purpose (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - When a NASA satellite met its doom in a fiery blaze in Earth's atmosphere after a seven-year mission, a bunch of college students were at the controls. 2 asteroids to whiz harmlessly past Earth (AP) AP - NASA says two small asteroids discovered just days ago will zip harmlessly past Earth on Wednesday, a double flyby that should be visible through a telescope. NASA Team to Trapped Miners: No Alcohol or Cigarettes (LiveScience.com) LiveScience.com - After spending almost a week in Chile, a team of NASA personnel sent to provide nutritional advice and psychological support to 33 trapped miners reported Tuesday that the efforts of the Chilean government have been outstanding so far, and the focus needs to be on long-term strategies that will allow the men to live sustainably underground as a community. 2 Asteroids to Pass Earth Closer Than the Moon (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - In an unprecedented event for astronomers, two asteroids will swing past the Earth Wednesday at a distance closer than the moon. European gravity probe back in action after hitch (AFP)
Medal snub for Russian cosmonaut sparks 'cosmic scandal' (AFP)
Airbag Designer Casts Eye on NASA's Escape Ship (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - New airbag technology that mimics nature's way of protecting seed embryos could take the bumps out of spacecraft landings. As a Hurricane, Earl Looked Like 'Magnificent Chaos' From Space (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - The former Hurricane Earl put on a striking weather display for astronauts on the International Space Station, impressing the crew with its strength even as it weakened to a tropical storm. NASA readies probe for up-close study of sun's corona (AFP)
Satellites Help Aid Workers Plan Pakistan Flood Relief (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Satellites are helping aid workers plan relief for flood-ravaged Pakistan by providing high-resolution maps of the destruction so rescue crews can reach the homeless, displaced and sick. 'Top Chef's' Short Ribs Get NASA Twist for Spaceflight (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - Angelo Sosa's short ribs are destined for the International Space Station. Chinese Satellites Bump During Secret Maneuvers (SPACE.com) SPACE.com - A Chinese satellite may have intentionally nudged another spacecraft during secretive space maneuvers in near-Earth orbit, according to analysts.
|
Today's Top Stories
Moving Islamic center imperils national security, imam says
Shifting plans for an Islamic center near ground zero would encourage radicals, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf told "Larry King Live" late Wednesday. Group vows to replace burned Qurans A major Islamic group will announce an initiative Thursday to distribute 200,000 Qurans to replace what it says are 200 copies that a Florida church plans to burn in a gesture that has sparked controversy worldwide. Marines oust pirates from ship U.S. Marines boarded and seized control Thursday of a German-owned vessel that had been captured by pirates the day before off the coast of Somalia, the U.S. Fifth Fleet said. Mexican mayor shot dead in own office The mayor of El Naranjo, Mexico, in the central state of San Luis Potosi was gunned down and killed inside his office Wednesday, officials said. LAPD chief vows inquiry into shooting Los Angeles' police chief was booed during a community meeting as protests over an officer-involved fatal shooting continued for the third night Wednesday. Recession slams teachers When Jenny Frank decided to become a teacher, she thought she was going into a profession that could weather any recession. Car bomb kills 15 in Russia A car exploded in the Russian republic of North Ossetia-Alania on Thursday, killing at least six people and injuring many more, government officials said. Son wants proof mom's stoning on hold The son of an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning said he wants proof that his mother's adultery and murder case has been put "on hold." China: 200 pilots faked flying records Nearly 200 commercial pilots in China falsified their flying experience, Chinese aviation officials have discovered.
U.S Economy
Jobless claims drop 27,000 last week
(Reuters)
New filings for jobless benefits tumble (AP) AP - The number of people signing up for unemployment benefits dropped to the lowest level in two months, an encouraging sign that companies aren't resorting to deeper layoffs even as the economy has lost momentum. Trade gap narrows more than expected in July (Reuters) Reuters - The trade deficit narrowed more than expected in July, as imports retreated and exports shot to their highest since August 2008, according to a government report on Thursday that could lift hopes for third-quarter economic growth. Trade deficit narrows to $42.8 billion in July (AP) AP - The trade deficit narrowed significantly in July as exports climbed to the highest level in nearly two years, reflecting big gains in sales of U.S.-made airplanes and other manufactured goods while imports declined. (AP) AP - Trade deficit narrows sharply in July as exports rise to the highest level in nearly two years. Global recession is unlikely, OECD says (AP) AP - The global economic recovery could be slower than previously anticipated but a return to recession is unlikely, a leading international economic body said Thursday. Bank of England holds rates at 0.5 percent (Reuters)
US loses ground in competitiveness report (AP) AP - The U.S. has slipped down the ranks of competitive economies, falling behind Sweden and Singapore due to huge deficits and pessimism about government, a global economic group said Thursday. Bank of England keeps rates at record low (AP) AP - The Bank of England says it is holding interest rates steady at a record low of 0.5 percent for the 18th consecutive month amid growing fears about a double-dip recession. Global stocks rise, dollar steady (AFP)
OECD says recovery slowing, urges policy caution (Reuters) Reuters - Global recovery looks to be slowing more than expected as growth weakens in rich economies, and stimulus should be extended or stepped up if the slowdown endures, the OECD said on Thursday. U.S. slips in WEF's competitiveness rankings (Reuters)
China prepares further property tightening (Reuters) Reuters - Some Chinese cities are preparing fresh property tightening steps as housing transactions and prices show signs of a rebound, reinforcing market expectations that Beijing will not ease its grip on the sector any time soon. Economists cut U.S. growth forecast again (Reuters) Reuters - Projected U.S. economic growth for the rest of this year and next was revised down for a third month in a row by a panel of about 50 economists. Detroit gets rare assist from suburbs for fires (AP)
Financial crisis panel tells NV leaders to be bold (AP)
Obama: U.S. can't afford to extend tax cuts for rich (Reuters)
Obama: Democrats in trouble if election based on economy (AFP)
Obama sees Democratic pain if vote hinges on economy (Reuters)
More stimulus needed for economy: Geithner (Reuters) Reuters - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday the United States needed more incentives to stimulate job growth and bolster a slow recovery from a "savage" recession.
World News & Iraq
Suicide attack in Russia kills 15, wounds over 130
(AP)
4 Iraqis escape from US custody in Baghdad prison (AP)
Afghan AG: West should not lead corruption fight (AP)
Study: Flamboyant male dancing attracts women best (AP) AP - John Travolta was onto something. Women are most attracted to male dancers who have big, flamboyant moves similar to the actor's trademark style, British scientists say in a new study. Dynasty speculation on North Korea's founding day (AP)
A Fashion Week Model's Secret: Sensible Shoes (Time.com) Time.com - On the eve of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, the hottest event on New YorkCity's couture calendar, TIME takes a look inside the grueling auditionprocess for hundreds of high-fashion hopefuls Bank freezes rates at record 0.5% low (AFP)
US Marines take back pirate-held ship off Somalia (AP) AP - U.S. Marine commandos stormed a pirate-held cargo vessel off the Somalia coast Thursday, reclaiming control of the ship and taking nine prisoners without firing a shot, the U.S. Navy said. Fidel latest to say Cuba's communism doesn't work (AP)
Two blasts hit Mogadishu airport, at least eight dead (Reuters)
Graft hard to spot in Afghan poll: monitor group (Reuters) Reuters - Despite some electoral reforms, detecting graft in Afghanistan's September 18 parliamentary election will be harder than in last year's presidential poll due to the current voting system, a Western observer group said on Thursday. Conservatives see poll lead evaporate (Reuters) Reuters - The Conservative government has seen its lead over the main opposition Liberals evaporate in public opinion polls following recent controversies and the two parties are now running neck and neck, though an election is not seen in the near term. Australian regulators reject NAB bid for AXA Asia Pacific (AFP)
Clinton: Florida church's planned Koran burning doesn't reflect U.S. (McClatchy Newspapers) McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — With concerns growing about hostile or even violent international reaction to a Florida pastor's plans to burn the Koran on Saturday, the Obama administration is stepping up its efforts to mitigate the damage. Germany considers scrapping the draft (The Christian Science Monitor) The Christian Science Monitor - The young man playing with kids at the Main Krokodile preschool here isn't your typical caregiver. He's among the tens of thousands of Germans who fulfill their military service by working with children, the elderly, or the disabled. The head of the school, Berndt Niedergesäss, is all for it: "The children love dealing with men," he says. China's Great (Quantum) Leap Forward (Time.com) Time.com - While China has been showing off its new hardware, a potentially more important military advancement has gone largely unnoticed -- a major breakthrough in quantum teleportation Banging a Drum for the MDG Summit (OneWorld.net) OneWorld.net - NEW YORK, Sep 7 (IRIN) - Activists are pulling out all the stops ahead of a development summit at UN headquarters on 20-22 September. Pro-aid and anti-poverty lobbyists are trying everything from giant letters to banging pans to raise awareness of the high-level event.
Iraq News
Iraq unable to meet current power demand until 2013: US
(AFP)
Iraqi Al Qaeda group says it behind army base raid (Reuters) Reuters - Al Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a daylight raid by suicide bombers on an army base in central Baghdad in which 12 people died. Bombs targeting Iraqi police kill three in Baghdad (Reuters)
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,418 (AP) AP - As of Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010, at least 4,418 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. Iraq holds father and brother of US soldiers' killer (AFP)
Iraqi soldier guns down US troops after sports row (AFP)
Iraq attack on US soldiers shows ongoing vulnerabilities (The Christian Science Monitor) The Christian Science Monitor - US and Iraqi officials are investigating the killing of two American soldiers and the wounding of nine others at an Iraqi Army base in what appeared to be the first attack on American forces since President Obama declared the end of the US combat mission. 542 antiquities looted in Iraq war return home. Where are the rest? (The Christian Science Monitor) The Christian Science Monitor - Gold earrings made for an Assyrian queen, a sacred 4,000-year-old statue, and 540 other looted pieces of Iraq’s ancient history were formally returned to Iraq on Monday in what was billed as a triumph of justice and international cooperation. Iraq state TV anchor killed (AFP)
US and Iran favour Maliki as Iraq PM six months after polls (AFP)
4 Iraqis escape from US custody in Baghdad prison (AP)
Man killed by Vancouver police was Iraq veteran (AP) AP - A 22-year-old man fatally shot by Vancouver police was an Oregon Army National Guard soldier who served 12 months in Iraq, a National Guard spokesman confirms. Al-Qaeda in Iraq turns to extortion (AFP)
Group: Iraqi reporter's killing highlights dangers (AP)
Four Qaeda prisoners escape from Iraq prison (AFP)
Koran burning could be 'pretext' for violence: Iraq PM (AFP)
Five killed in attacks as Baghdad bans motorcycles (AFP)
Iraqi soldier fires on US troops, kills 2 (AP)
Half a year on, little progress in Iraq government talks (Reuters)
Two U.S. soldiers killed, nine wounded in Iraq (Reuters) Reuters - Two U.S. soldiers were killed and nine wounded on Tuesday when a gunman in Iraqi army uniform attacked them at an Iraqi base, U.S. officials said a week after Washington declared a formal end to U.S. combat operations.
Health News
Two gene mutations mark deadly ovarian cancer
(Reuters)
Reuters - Researchers have identified two new genetic mutations that cause a significant number of the hardest-to-treat kinds of ovarian cancer, and say they point to a new "on-off" switch for tumors. Study: Flamboyant male dancing attracts women best (AP) AP - John Travolta was onto something. Women are most attracted to male dancers who have big, flamboyant moves similar to the actor's trademark style, British scientists say in a new study. Doctors alarmed by HIV risk for European gays (AFP)
Immune System Genes Show Links to Type 1 Diabetes (HealthDay) HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is still unknown, but international researchers have found a link between the blood sugar disorder and a network of immune system genes. Starting periods early tied to greater asthma risk (Reuters) Reuters - Women who start menstruating early may be at increased risk of asthma and poor lung function, new research shows. CVS Caremark to give away up to $5M in flu shots (AP) AP - CVS Caremark Corp. said Wednesday it will give away up to $5 million in seasonal flu vaccinations to people without health insurance. Genetic Scars of the Holocaust: Children Suffer Too (Time.com) Time.com - A study finds that severe trauma can cause genetic changes that are passed along to children Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 8, 2010 (HealthDay) HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com: Group backs mandatory flu shots for health workers (AP) AP - Flu vaccination should be required for all doctors, nurses and other health workers, the nation's largest pediatricians' group says, calling it a long overdue step to protect patients. J&J giving $200 million for health of women, kids (AP) AP - Health giant Johnson & Johnson is donating about $200 million in cash and medicine to a sweeping United Nations program created to improve the health and lives of people in poor countries. HIV spread "out of control" among French gay men (Reuters) Reuters - Transmission of the AIDS virus seems to be "out of control" among gay men in France despite an overall fall in the number of new HIV cases in the country, according to a study published on Thursday. Health Tip: Stay Safe Around the School Bus (HealthDay) HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Teaching children to take precautions while waiting for, entering and exiting a school bus can help keep them safe. Report says obesity surgery can save health costs (Reuters) Reuters - Providing surgical treatment for people who are morbidly obese could save British taxpayer-funded health services and the wider economy hundreds of millions of pounds a year, leading surgeons said on Wednesday. AP Exclusive: Back to work after salmonella case (AP)
Long-term weight loss may be harmful to health (Reuters) Reuters - Long-term weight loss may release into the blood industrial pollutants linked to illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis, researchers said on Tuesday. Doctors see eye hazard in powerful laser pointers (AP) AP - A 15-year-old boy damaged his eyes while playing with a laser pointer he'd bought over the Internet, say doctors who warn that dangerously high-powered versions are easily available online. B vitamins found to slow progression of dementia (Reuters) Reuters - Daily tablets of large doses of B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with memory problems and may slow their progression toward dementia, data from a British trial showed on Wednesday, Researchers find genes linked to ovarian cancer (AFP)
Financial News
Jobless claims slide in latest week The number of jobless Americans filing for unemployment insurance fell last week, a government report released Thursday showed. U.K. fines Goldman $27 million in 'Fab' case Britain's Financial Services Authority said Thursday it has fined Goldman Sachs International nearly $27 million for not disclosing its investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Buffett, Gates shunned by Chinese tycoons In the world of business, who in their right mind would turn down the opportunity to dine with Bill Gates and Warren Buffett? Chinese tycoons, apparently. Stocks poised to extend gains U.S. stocks were headed for a higher open Thursday, as investors digested the latest reading on jobless claims and the U.S. trade deficit. Teaching: No longer a recession-proof job When Jenny Frank decided to become a teacher, she thought she was going into a profession that could weather any recession. Corporate bankruptcy: Costly and often worthless Unsecured creditors of Lehman Brothers may have choked last week when Harvey Miller, the lead attorney on the bank's bankruptcy, told Congress that the final bill to unwind its sprawling claims would likely hit $2 billion and take two more years to settle. He also said some of those creditors might only collect twenty cents on the dollar for approved claims. Meet the CEO of the biggest company on earth It wasn't much of a honeymoon. Less than a year after Wal-Mart's new chief executive, Mike Duke, took control of the world's biggest company, he was faced with a not-so-little problem. Shortly before he became CEO in early 2009, Wal-Mart had announced, with great fanfare, Project Impact -- a plan to freshen up the stores and make them a better place to shop. For the most part it worked pretty well. The stores were cleaner and brighter, the logo's blue and yellow color scheme was warmer and more appealing, and the company embraced a catchy new slogan: "Save money. Live better." Even the yellow smiley face was dropped in favor of a perky new "spark" resembling a twinkly star. Nice. Meet the CEO of the biggest company on earth: Full version It wasn't much of a honeymoon. Less than a year after Wal-Mart's new chief executive, Mike Duke, took control of the world's biggest company, he was faced with a not-so-little problem. Shortly before he became CEO in early 2009, Wal-Mart had announced, with great fanfare, Project Impact -- a plan to freshen up the stores and make them a better place to shop. For the most part it worked pretty well. The stores were cleaner and brighter, the logo's blue and yellow color scheme was warmer and more appealing, and the company embraced a catchy new slogan: "Save money. Live better." Even the yellow smiley face was dropped in favor of a perky new "spark" resembling a twinkly star. Nice. Obama: Close tax loopholes to juice economy As President Obama pushes a new campaign to juice up the economy, he's starting to fill in the details of how he would pay the estimated $180 billion tab. His plan: Eliminate some corporate tax breaks and subsidies, and close loopholes. New York Times stock surges on takeover talk Shares of the New York Times Company jumped Wednesday on rumors that the world's richest man could increase his stake in the newspaper publisher. Shop online without credit cards Freeing yourself of plastic is a great way to keep track of your spending and stay on a budget. Health insurer faces $9.9 billion in fines California regulators are seeking fines of up to $9.9 billion from Pacificare over allegations the health insurer mismanaged claims from physicians, failed to make payments in a timely manner and other violations. Help for homeowners who haven't missed a payment Borrowers who are up-to-date with their payments but have seen their home's value drop way below their loan amount could get help from a new government program. Fed: 'Widespread signs' economy is slowing The economy grew at a sluggish pace through the summer months, and there are now "widespread signs" that activity is slowing, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday in its latest snapshot of regional economic conditions. Obama's bridge, train and road fix Government transportation spending is full of costly boondoggles. The nearly forgotten Mariner explosion is just as bad as the BP oil spill It's never a good time for an oil rig to blow up in the Gulf of Mexico, but Mariner Energy's Vermillion 380 platform couldn't have gone off at a worse time. The government and the media were already scrutinizing offshore drill production in an unprecedented way. Thirteen unlucky workers were ejected off of Vermillion into the water last week. And Mariner inadvertently became the latest part of a national political debate about the safety of offshore drilling. Big bank bloodbath fears. They're ba-ack! Have you looked at how big bank stocks have done in the past few months? If so, you can be forgiven if you break into a cold sweat and start worrying about a repeat of the fall of 2008. Google launches live-updating 'Instant' search One of the Internet's most iconic images -- Google's search screen -- is being overhauled. Do unemployment checks keep the jobless at home? Does allowing the jobless to get nearly two years of unemployment checks give them an incentive to not work? Treasury prices swing wildly on double-dip fears As economic reports and expert opinions offer varying views on whether the country is headed for recovery or a double-dip recession, the bond market is moving at the slightest provocation.
Stock Markets
Flash crash cause still a mystery
(Investor's Business Daily)
Investor's Business Daily - The SEC, which is probing the stock market "flash crash" on May 6, still hasn't identified a single cause, but a trade practice known as "stub quotes" and other issues contributed to the market's dramatic drop, sources said. Stub quotes are orders placed by market makers that are well off the market prices for stocks. The SEC wants to ban stub quotes. World stocks drop as investors seek safety (AFP)
A look at economic developments around the globe (AP) AP - A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Tuesday: NYSE August US equity trading volume up 30 percent (AP) AP - NYSE Euronext said Tuesday the trading volume for equity and derivative produces rose significantly in August, pushed up by a spike in U.S. equity trading. Summary Box: Stocks rebound as Europe worries ease (AP) AP - BACK ON TRACK: The Dow Jones industrial average and other market indicators rose Wednesday as concerns about Europe's financial system eased thanks to a successful sale of debt by Portugal. The Dow rose five out of the last six days. SEC probes "quote stuffing" practices: Schapiro (Reuters) Reuters - U.S. regulators are probing certain practices around "quote stuffing," where large numbers of rapid-fire stock orders are placed and canceled almost immediately, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro said on Tuesday. Flash crash report: plunge still a mystery: sources (Reuters)
How the major stock indexes fared Wednesday (AP) AP - Stocks resumed their rally Wednesday after a successful auction of Portuguese government debt eased worries about Europe's financial system. Major indexes pulled back from their highs in the afternoon after the Federal Reserve said more regions of the country saw slower growth late in the summer. Wall Street up as fears for European economy ease (AFP)
Europe bank fears hit shares (Reuters)
Small investors quitting Wall Street: SEC boss (AFP)
SEC says proposed Citi settlement is fair (Reuters) Reuters - The top securities regulator defended its proposed $75 million settlement with Citigroup , saying the penalty reasonably accounts for the seriousness of the bank's alleged misconduct, according to a document filed in court on Wednesday. Kuwait appoints first stock market regulator (AFP)
FTSE 100 closes higher (AFP)
Stocks set to rise after drop in jobless claims (AP)
Asian shares mostly rise as Europe worries ease (AP)
Stock futures gain after jobless claims and trade data (Reuters)
European stocks fall, miners down on Australia vote (AFP)
SEC defends $75 million deal with Citigroup (AP) AP - The government is defending as "fair and adequate" its $75 million settlement with Citigroup Inc. over charges it misled investors about billions in potential losses from subprime mortgages. NYSE Euronext in joint venture on carbon trading (AP) AP - NYSE Euronext said Tuesday it plans to combine its European carbon trading unit with a U.S. firm to expand its environmental energy business.
Legal Affairs
Dead Soldiers' Parents Sue Insurer Over Benefits The lawsuit was filed in July in U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mass. It accuses Prudential of profiting from the dead soldiers' policies with bookkeeping maneuvers and misrepresenting the way the beneficiaries could collect lump-sum payouts. Texas Opens Inquiry Into Google Search Rankings The antitrust inquiry disclosed by Google late Friday is just the latest sign of the intensifying scrutiny facing the company as it enters its adolescence. The review appears to be focused on whether Google is manipulating its search results to stifle competition. Ex-Bin Laden Aide Gets Life For Prison Stabbing U.S. District Judge Deborah Batts said Mamdouh Mahmud Salim, 52, deserved a life sentence for his "unusually cruel, brutal" attack in 2000 on guard Louis Pepe at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan. Mexico Captures Alleged U.S.-Born Drug Lord The arrest of Edgar Valdez Villarreal, alias "the Barbie," was the culmination of a yearlong intelligence operation, the Public Safety Department said in a statement. The department said Valdez was captured Monday in the state of Mexico, which borders the capital of Mexico City. HP Sues Ex-CEO Hurd Over Oracle's Job Offer Mark Hurd recently was fired from his job as CEO of Hewlett-Packard after a scandal involving an extra-martial relationship. One of HP's main tech rivals -- Oracle -- wants to make Hurd its co-president. That's prompted HP to sue, claiming Hurd can't possibly perform the new job without tapping into HP's trade secrets. Paris Hilton Charged With Cocaine Possession A police officer in Las Vegas followed the odor of marijuana to the Cadillac Escalade the hotel heiress was in with her boyfriend Friday night, authorities said. A bag of cocaine allegedly fell out of the 29-year-old's purse. Court Rules Gay Couples Can't Get Divorced In Texas The 5th Texas Court of Appeals ruled that a district court judge didn't have the authority to hear a divorce case involving two Dallas men who married in Massachusetts because Texas didn't recognize their marriage. The state had appealed when the judge said she had jurisdiction. Judges Ask For More Security Amid Threats Two major groups representing immigration and Social Security judges appeared in Washington on Monday to ask the federal government to do more to protect them. In these kinds of cases, judges often rule from office buildings, instead of traditional courtrooms, without metal detectors and guards in the room. Often, You Can Film Cops; Just Don't Record Them As a Chicago artist faces prison for recording the sound of his own arrest, the ACLU says the law needs to be rewritten. It's generally legal to film an on-duty police officer in public, but in some states, recording audio of what an officer says is a serious crime. Clemens Pleads Not Guilty Of Lying To Congress The baseball great entered the plea Monday in Washington, a few blocks from where the retired pitcher swore under oath that he had not used performance-enhancing drugs. A Click Away: Preventing Online Child Porn Viewing Prosecution for child pornography has nearly tripled since 2000, but the Justice Department is still looking for a way to handle what it calls the "explosion" in trafficking. Companies are developing technology to better filter the images online, but the effectiveness of the private initiatives and how they will affect government enforcement remains to be seen. California Set To Ban Plastic Grocery Bags California lawmakers are scheduled to vote Tuesday on a proposal to phase out and ultimately ban plastic grocery bags statewide. But plastic industry trade groups are lobbying hard and spending thousands to defeat the ban. Religious Laws Long Recognized By U.S. Courts Oklahoma State Rep. Rex Duncan has proposed a state constitutional amendment to bar U.S. judges from considering any foreign law, including Islamic law, in their decisions. But U.S. laws already allow for some consideration, and experts say U.S. law will always have the final word. Feds Sue Arizona Sheriff In Immigration Probe After months of political posturing on both sides, the Justice Department's civil rights division is suing Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio for failing to turn over arrest records and other materials the government wants as part of a broad investigation into Maricopa County's treatment of Hispanics. Feds Sue Arizona Sheriff In Civil Rights Probe The Justice Department says Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is standing in the way of its investigation by refusing to turn over arrest records and other materials that could show whether he violated the rights of Hispanics pulled over in traffic sweeps.
Arts & Stage
Bill T. Jones, Oprah, and a Singing Outlaw Are Named for Kennedy Center Honors
(ARTINFO)
ARTINFO - A Kennedy Center Honor, which the Kennedy CenterÂ’s website likens to a knighthood in Britain, is the ultimate reward for a person?s ?lifetime contribution to American culture.? This year those contributions included outlaw country music, "Yesterday," uplifting car giveaways, and scintillatingly vibrant choreography. U.S. Returns Spoils of War and Archaeological Loot to Iraq (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - As a reminder that the looting of Iraq's heritage has hardly been restricted to the militant thieves who pillaged the Iraqi National Museum after the 2003 American invasion, the United States has repatriated a group of objects, some of which were apparently taken as war booty, and others that reflect the region's history of artifact smuggling. This step, by all accounts, is only a small one in what will have to be a concerted international effort to undo the work of all kinds of opportunistic raiders. Phillips de Pury Hopes to Sell the Spoils of Another Disgraced Collector (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - As Sotheby's and Christie's stake out their blue-chip consignment territory in advance of the fall market season, second-string boutique Phillips de Pury seems to be working a burgeoning, if unglamorous, niche: helping disgraced financiers sell off their ill-gotten art. After bringing in more than $24 million this spring by auctioning the collection of debt-ridden Internet entrepreneur Hasley Minor, Phillips is now angling for the corporate art collection of the defunct law firm of Marc Dreier, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for federal fraud after having attempted to sell $700 million bonus promissory notes to investors. According to the Wall Street Journal, a bankruptcy official has filed for court approval for a November 21 Phillips auction of the modern and contemporary works Dreier amassed before his 2008 arrest. The 81-piece collection includes works by Damien Hirst, Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, and Willem de Kooning, as well as photographs of the Dreier family and of Audrey Hepburn playing that other fiscally inept individual Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany?s." Valentino Retrospective Sweeps into Australia (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - With Fashion Week fast approaching, a grateful look to the golden age of couture, when clothing design approached the realm of art, seems to be merited. Thankfully, it is readily available at the Brisbane?s Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, which is hosting "Valentino, Retrospective: Past/Present/Future" until November 14. Developed by curator Pamela Golbin from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the show highlights 100 ensembles, celebrating the past half-century of garb by the Italian fashion house. Artists, protesters target Blair book party (Reuters) Reuters - Former British premier Tony Blair has been forced to postponed a party at the Tate Modern art gallery celebrating the launch of his autobiography because of threats from anti-war protesters, his office said on Wednesday. Blair postpones book party at Tate Modern (Reuters)
The United States Picks Allora & Calzadilla for the 54th Venice Biennale (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - After almost a year of speculation, the Puerto Rico?based multimedia duo Allora & Calzadilla has been announced as the United States' representatives to the 2011 Venice Biennale, marking the first time that an artist pair or collective has been picked by the nation to fill the prestigious role. The selection was made by the Indianapolis Museum of Art, which the U.S. State Department has entrusted to organize next year's pavilion; Lisa Freiman, the chair of the museum?s contemporary art department, has been tapped as the commissioner of the pavilion. She will also curate the presentation. Daniel Libeskind's German War Museum Rumbles To Its Finish, With an Arrow in Its Heart (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - Dresden's Museum of Military History has existed in a variety of incarnations over the years, each mirroring the successive regime that shaped its image. Established in 1897 in a stately neoclassical building that once housed an arsenal, the museum became a celebration of German military might under the Nazis. Its location outside the historic center of Dresden allowed the building to survive the Allied bombing campaign at the end of World War II; thereafter it proudly displayed Communist tanks and submarines under East German rule. In 1989, Germany's Bundeswehr ? or Federal Defense Force ? was unsure how the museum would fit into the newly unified German state, deciding to simply shut it down. First Quicksand, Now a "Complex Situation" Delay New York's African Art Museum (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - Half a decade after it shuttered its exhibition space in Long Island City, the Museum for African Art announced on Friday that it would delay opening its new Upper East Side building by at least five more months as a result of construction delays. Slated to open in April 2011, the Robert A. M. Stern-designed museum will not be inaugurated until at least September 2011, according to he museum?s director, Elsie McCabe Thompson. Jerry Hall to Auction a Pregnant Nude Portrait and Other Art at Sotheby's (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - As if the action-packed fall art season wasn't sexy enough already, Jerry Hall ? world-famous supermodel, actress, and the alleged subject matter of Mick JaggerÂ’s hit love song, ?Miss You?? will be selling her collection of contemporary art at Sotheby?s next month. The 14 artworks, which attest to Hall?s glamorous life amidst the avant-garde 1970s and 80s in New York, will be auctioned to coincide with London?s Frieze Art Fair. Egypt Cracks Down on Arts Officials After Van Gogh Theft (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - Egyptian authorities have been unable to recover the $50 million van Gogh that was stolen in broad daylight from Cairo's Mahmoud Khalil Museum last month, but they have certainly wasted no time in finding scapegoats for the embarrassing theft. Eleven people in the country's arts establishment, including a senior culture minister and the head of the museum, are now set to be tried in court on charges of negligence in protecting the painting. Sistine Chapel Threatened by Too Much Love (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - It appears that the millions of sweat-stained tourists who invade Rome's landmarks every year are a nuisance to more than just the locals ? they're even starting to disturb God. At least, that is, the depictions of God on the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, which showed signs of damage during a routine cleaning this summer. According to Vatican Museums director Antonio Paolucci, the harm has been caused by the 4.5 million people who visit the site each year. An Imperial Stamp, Protected by a Dragon, Sells for $1.3 Million at a Hong Kong Auction (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - Yesterday, ARTINFO ventured into the world of numismatics, discovering a strange and exciting land of niche collectibles. But today we are being even bolder, delving into what some might argue is an even narrower, more specific pursuit: timbrophily! Stamp collectors the world over received a jolt of excitement on Saturday when Hong Kong postage auction house Phila China brought the hammer down on a toasty timbrophilic lot at $1.3 million, a new record in the already-sizzling Chinese stamp market. Is Damien Hirst a Serial Plagiarist? (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - Damien Hirst has been accused of a lot of things in his day ? from peeing in the sinks of posh Soho clubs in his early years to, of late, making "ugly, ugly, ugly" paintings ? and one of the more persistent allegations has been that the bad-boy YBA is a little too quick to steal other artists' ideas. Now this complaint has been vociferously resurrected by Charles Thomson, co-founder of the Stuckist movement, who is accusing Hirst of plagiarizing at least 15 of his most famous works, including his medicine cabinets, spin paintings, diamond-encrusted skull, and pickled shark. In Financial Jeopardy, the Seattle Art Museum Seeks a $10 Million Loan (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - Though corporate America appears to have weathered the worst of the housing-market collapse, the nonprofit sector is continuing to suffer from the weak economy. The latest organization to face considerable danger is the Seattle Art Museum, which has filed a motion in county court asking for approval of a plan to borrow $10 million from its $96 million endowment in order to avoid having to default on a loan that financed its 2007 downtown expansion. A Con Artist, a Secret Affair, and Drunken Debauchery Enliven New York's Corot Mystery (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - In a turn to a story that seems to have been tailor-made to relieve the late summer news doldrums, the courier who claimed to have lost a $1.35 million Corot painting while on a drunken bender at a New York hotel now appears to have been in the employ of a serial scam artist. The improbable imbroglio received its latest twist when it was revealed that Tom Doyle, the co-owner of the missing artwork, is really Thomas Doyle, a convicted crook who just got out of prison for, you guessed it, art theft, according to the New York Times. Jerry Hall's art collection on auction block (AP)
Spruced Up, Van Gogh's "Bedroom" Returns to View (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - Vincent van Gogh spent much of his adult life alternately browbeating and charming his brother Theo into sending him money, since he was unable to generate much income selling his art. Theo unfailingly complied, but Vincent nevertheless lived a life of rather serious poverty. Thankfully, society treats the artist?s paintings a bit better than it did the artist who made them, as evidenced by the Van Gogh MuseumÂ’s announcement that, after six months of labor, his 1888 masterpiece, "The Bedroom," has been restored. Isaac Julien's art seeks to 'allegorise' news tragedy (AFP)
California Bill Could Alter the Restitution of Nazi-Looted Art (ARTINFO) ARTINFO - A bill was approved by California lawmakers on Monday that allows for the extension of the amount of time during which citizens in that state can sue museums, galleries, and auction houses for the recovery of stolen works of art ? an important step in creating decisive legislation to deal with the myriad difficult-to-try, emotionally fraught cases concerning the restitution of Nazi-looted art.
Entertainment Industry
Star-studded films vie for attention in Toronto
(Reuters)
Discovery-Hasbro kids network faces challenges (Reuters) Reuters - 10/10/10. That's the date when the kids TV market will get even more crowded with the launch of the Hub, a network joint venture of Discovery Communications and toy giant Hasbro. Briton Piers Morgan named Larry King replacement (Reuters) Reuters - British television host Piers Morgan is to replace veteran CNN talk show host Larry King in January, bringing what is expected to be a more acerbic tone to the long-running prime time U.S. interview show. Discovery, Hasbro ready Hub network for launch (Reuters) Reuters - Discovery Communications and toy maker Hasbro Inc said on Wednesday their new joint-venture cable network The Hub, to launch next month, would target an under-served market of children aged 11 and younger. Disney hires new marketing guru for "Pirates 4" (Reuters) Reuters - Disney has taken the unusual step of bringing in a consultant to handle the marketing of its fourth "Pirates of the Caribbean" film, a move bound to raise questions about the marketing boss hired by the studio five months ago. Spyglass signs letter of intent with MGM: source (Reuters) Reuters - The founders of production company Spyglass Entertainment have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to take over management of financially troubled movie studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Spain's Alejandro Sanz among top Latin Grammy nominees (Reuters)
Sony Pictures to animate Marvel characters: report (Reuters) Reuters - Sony Pictures Entertainment, a division of Sony Corp, will partner with Marvel Entertainment to animate characters such as Iron Man, X-Men and Blade in Japan and broadcast them worldwide, the Nikkei business daily reported. Rockers Disturbed dethrone Katy Perry on album chart (Reuters)
Venice film fest fights its corner as crisis bites (Reuters)
David Westin resigning as news head at Disney's ABC (Reuters) Reuters - ABC News President David Westin said on Monday he was resigning after 13 years, according to a memo he sent to employees that was released on the network's website. Playboy board hires advisers to weigh Hefner bid (Reuters) Reuters - The Playboy Enterprises Inc special board committee tapped to evaluate Hugh Hefner's offer to take the company private said on Tuesday it retained Raine Securities LLC and Kaye Scholer LLP as its financial and legal advisors, respectively. Toronto filmfest hopes to buck up weak Oscar season (Reuters)
Google to start TV service in U.S. this autumn (Reuters) Reuters - Google Inc will launch its service to bring the Web to TV screens in the United States this autumn and worldwide next year, its chief executive said, as it extends its reach from the desktop to the living room. Clooney outdraws "Machete" at holiday box office (Reuters)
Brazil battles image problems amid movie boom (Reuters) Reuters - It was the middle of the night in Jardim Tiradentes, one of Sao Paulo's rougher neighborhoods. A two-man crew was waiting to film a police raid when chief inspector Rafael Correa Lodi broke the bad news.
Television
Designs for living well on Nate Berkus' new show
(AP)
Bowersox finds out her files were checked in Ohio (AP) AP - "American Idol" runner-up Crystal Bowersox has learned that personal information on her was improperly checked in her home state of Ohio. "BP Spillcam" deemed top TV word."Guido" close behind (Reuters) Reuters - The Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the success of the TV show "Jersey Shore" made words like "BP Spillcam" and "Guido" among the most used words of the 2009-2010 TV season, according to a global language survey released on Thursday. Discovery: Hasbro kids network faces challenges (Reuters) Reuters - 10/10/10. That's the date when the kids TV market will get even more crowded with the launch of the Hub, a network joint venture of Discovery Communications and toy giant Hasbro. MTV orders more "Jersey Shore" (Reuters)
Pratt to Montag: Sorry for my outrageous behavior (AP)
He's a She: Sarah Ruhl's Take on Virginia Woolf's 'Orlando' Begins in NYC (Playbill) Playbill - Francesca Faridany, late of Broadway's The 39 Steps, plays the title role of an Elizabethan man who transforms into a woman in the Sept. 8 New York City premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Orlando for Classic Stage Company. Colbert, VP Biden fete troops with hot dogs, beer (AP)
MTV's `Snooki' fined $500 for bothering beachgoers (AP)
CNN names Piers Morgan as Larry King's replacement (AP)
Briton Piers Morgan named Larry King replacement (Reuters)
Final 4 acts advance on 'America's Got Talent' (AP)
Larry King's successor promises journalistic rigor (Reuters)
Discovery, Hasbro ready Hub network for launch (Reuters) Reuters - Discovery Communications and toy maker Hasbro Inc said on Wednesday their new joint-venture cable network The Hub, to launch next month, would target an under-served market of children aged 11 and younger. Don Johnson's "Nash Bridges" judgment doubled (Reuters) Reuters - Actor Don Johnson more than doubled his legal judgment against producers of the television show "Nash Bridges" as a judge on Wednesday added $28 million in interest to the sum originally awarded him by a jury. Va. philanthropist, billionaire John Kluge dies (AP)
Judge calls Nicollette Sheridan lawsuit "annoying" (Reuters)
Ruling doubles Don Johnson's 'Nash Bridges' award (AP)
Stephen King's "Tower" gets film, TV treatment (Reuters) Reuters - Stephen King's epic fantasy series "The Dark Tower" is being turned into a film and television franchise by the Oscar-winning team behind "A Beautiful Mind." Letterman's blackmailer eyes return to TV news (Reuters)
|
Information Menu Hiking Adventures Perfect For Family Trips Or Romantic Getaways Hiking Trails How You Can Choose The Best One Why Hiking Is A Good Recreational Activity What You May Want To Bring With You On Your Next Hiking Adventure What To Consider When Choosing A Hiking Trail Why The Hiking Staff Of A Hiking Park Should Play A Role In Choosing A Hiking Trail Why You Should Create A Checklist For Your Next Hiking Trip Where You Can Buy Your Hiking Gear And Supplies From Why You Should Plan Your Next Hiking Vacation In Advance What To Consider Before Planning A Hiking Adventure Tips To Make Your Next Hiking Adventure A Safe One Hiking And Camping The Perfect Combination Bay Area California News
CA Court Refuses To Order Gov. To Defend Prop 8
California's highest court has refused to order Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown to appeal a ruling that overturned the state's gay marriage ban. SFPD Renews License Of Controversial Gun Store San Francisco police officials say the city's only gun store will be allowed to resume its five-decade-old business over the objections of some neighborhood residents. Swastika Mars Mural Of Sacramento Kings Player Sacramento police are investigating a possible hate crime after a swastika was painted on a mural of a Sacramento Kings player. Boxer Aide Allegedly Brought Pot Into Senate An aide to Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer has been arrested on charges that he brought marijuana into a Senate office building. Bad Brakes To Blame For Oakland Dump Truck Crash Bad brakes on a dump truck are being blamed for a crash in Oakland that damaged 13 vehicles and sent four people to the hospital. CHP Says Car Thefts Are Down The California Highway Patrol says vehicle thefts in the state are down for the fourth consecutive year. Crews UnableTo Pull Tugboat From Petaluma River Crews were unable to retrieve a tugboat from the Petaluma River that leaked oil into the water earlier this week Schwarzenegger To Embark On Trade Mission In Asia Schwarzenegger and executives from Marvell Semiconductor, Inc., along with about 100 business and policy leaders, will leave Thursday for China, South Korea, and Japan, where Schwarzenegger will tour some of Marvell's other facilities while promoting trade with the state of California. 2-Alarm Fire At Oakland Apartment Complex A two-alarm fire was controlled about 15 minutes after it was reported in East Oakland Wednesday afternoon. Man Hurt, 5 Arrested After College Of Marin Attack An 18-year-old man was hospitalized and five people were arrested in connection with an attack at the College of Marin's Kentfield campus Tuesday.
Authors
Children's Book Finds Hope In Haiti's Rubble
Nine months after the quake in Haiti, Haitian-born author Edwidge Danticat is sharing the earthquake story with an audience that was largely shielded from it -- children. Eight Days is a book about a boy who gets buried in the rubble and is not rescued until eight days later. Arianna Huffington Sees A 'Third World America' When Arianna Huffington immigrated to the United States in 1980, she knew there was no place she'd rather live. Three decades later, she says that's still true -- but that America has gone astray. Huffington discusses her new book, Third World America, and her plan to rescue the middle class. Fresh Air Remembers Comedian Robert Schimmel The 60-year-old comedian, who often joked about his own life in his raunchy stand-up routines, died Friday from injuries suffered in a car accident. Fresh Air remembers Schimmel with highlights from a 2008 interview in which he discusses his memoir Cancer On $5 A Day. Modern Lessons From Hillel Not much is known about the life of the rabbi and Talmudic scholar Hillel, who lived 2,000 years ago, but his teachings have shaped Judaism. Rabbi Joseph Telushkin's forthcoming book Hillel: If Not Now, When? argues that Hillel has as much to teach the 21 Century as he did his own. Investigating The Real Detective Charlie Chan The fictional, aphorism-spouting Chinese detective is best known today as a stereotypical relic from a less sensitive time. Yunte Huang tells the story of the real man who inspired the caricature in Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History. Jokes To Tell Your Parents For Rosh Hashana When Sam Hoffman and Eric Spiegelman's video of Hoffman's 60-something mother telling an off-color joke on YouTube went viral, they knew they had something special. The success of their subsequent website, OldJewsTellingJokes.com, and their upcoming book have proved them right. 'Phantom Tollbooth' Creators Reunited By An 'Ogre' In the early 1960s, writer Norton Juster and illustrator Jules Feiffer created The Phantom Tollbooth, which quickly became a kid-lit classic. Now, 50 years later, the two have finally collaborated once more -- this time, on a picture book called The Odious Ogre. They speak to NPR's Liane Hansen about their partnership and their new project. Victory At Marathon Saved A Lot More Than A Race The story's a classic: An outnumbered band of Athenians pushes back the mighty Persian army. But the battle of Marathon, 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece, left a legacy that extends far beyond the name of a famous race. Historian Richard Billows explores the legendary battle in his new book, Marathon: How One Battle Changed Western Civilization. Next Week: Franzen Talks About 'Freedom' Jonathan Franzen's new novel, Freedom, is being called a "masterpiece of American fiction." He was recently on the cover of Time magazine -- the first living author on its cover in more than a decade. Next weekend, Franzen will join us to talk about Freedom, the story of a contemporary American family in St. Paul, Minn. Memories Of War And Reading Clubs Patrick Hennessey was the youngest front-line captain in the British Army, served in Iraq and Afghanistan and earned a commendation for gallantry. Host Scott Simon speaks with Hennessey about his memoir, The Junior Officers' Reading Club.
Religion
Obama: Quran-Burning Would Benefit Al-Qaida
The president, appearing on ABC's Good Morning America, exhorts a Florida minister to call off his plan to engage in a Quran-burning protest this weekend, saying it would serve as a "recruitment bonanza for al-Qaida." Imam Fears Moving Islamic Center Could Spur Tension Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf told CNN that the discourse surrounding the center has become so politicized that moving it could strengthen the ability of extremists abroad to recruit and wage attacks against Americans, including troops fighting in the Middle East. Pakistani Urges Glenn Beck To Oppose Quran Burning Conservative radio and television host Glenn Beck earlier this week wrote in an Internet blog posting that burning the Quran is like burning the flag or the Bible -- something people can do in the United States, but shouldn't. It was unclear whether Ambassador Husain Haqqani was aware of the posting. Religious Laws Long Recognized By U.S. Courts Oklahoma State Rep. Rex Duncan has proposed a state constitutional amendment to bar U.S. judges from considering any foreign law, including Islamic law, in their decisions. But U.S. laws already allow for some consideration, and experts say U.S. law will always have the final word. Practicality May Outlast Debate On Islamic Center If the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan is an example, the planners behind the proposed Islamic center near ground zero have more than politics to consider. While the JCC took 11 years and $95 million to finish, the Islamic center fundraising has just begun. Vatican Joins Condemnation of Quran Burning The Vatican joins the condemnation of planned Quran burning in Florida. Florida Minister Still Plans To Burn Quran Florida evangelical church leader Terry Jones plans to burn copies of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11. His threat to go ahead comes despite warnings from senior military leader General David Petraeus, and senior administration officials about the potential damage to relations with the Muslim world. New College Teaches Young American Muslims Late last month, the 15 students who comprise Zaytuna College's inaugural class settled in to their first day in a classroom near the University of California, Berkeley. For these students, this is a chance to study with top Islamic scholars. For the school's founders, it's a chance to hone a new image for American Islam. Florida Minister Pressured Not To Burn Quran The leader of a small Florida church that espouses anti-Islam philosophy said he was still praying about whether go through with his plan to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11, which the White House, religious leaders and others are pressuring him to call off. Imam: N.Y. Islamic Center To Include Other Faiths A proposed community center near ground zero will include separate prayer spaces for Muslims, Christians, Jews and people of other faiths, the imam behind plans for the facility wrote in an op-ed published on the New York Times website. Feisal Abdul Rauf has been largely absent from the debate surrounding the project while traveling abroad for the past few months. Petraeus: Burning Quran Endangers Americans The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan says a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Muslim holy book could put U.S. troops in the country in harm's way and inflame anti-Americanism. Pastor To Proceed With Koran Burning A pastor in Gainesville, Fla., says he will not back off plans to burn Korans on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, says the church's plans could put the lives of Americans at risk and hurt the war effort. Modern Lessons From Hillel Not much is known about the life of the rabbi and Talmudic scholar Hillel, who lived 2,000 years ago, but his teachings have shaped Judaism. Rabbi Joseph Telushkin's forthcoming book Hillel: If Not Now, When? argues that Hillel has as much to teach the 21 Century as he did his own. Bridging The Christian-Muslim Divide Many religious leaders fear rising tensions over the proposed Islamic Center in Manhattan may inflame religious tensions through the U.S. Author Eliza Griswold and Fordham University's Rev. Patrick Ryan discuss how to quell tensions between Christians and Muslims. Muslim Americans Find Their Voice Amid The Shouts In towns across the country, the voices of those who don't want mosques built in their neighborhoods are growing louder. The open expressions of hostility have become so loud in recent months, that a coalition of Muslim groups is taking steps to remind people that American Muslims are Americans -- the same as anyone else.
Education
Grab A Notebook. We're Taking You Back To School
NPR Tell Me More Producer Lee Hill unveils the program's back-to-school education series and rallies the audience to get involved. Expert: In U.S., Student Loans Trump Credit Card Debt Americans now owe more in student loan debt than they do for all credit card debt, according to a recent report published by the financial aid information website FinAid.org. Host Michel Martin talks to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of the research, about why student loan debt has hit a record high Investment Group Wants Students To Rethink College Loans Forking out thousands of dollars for a college education has long been viewed as conventional wisdom when it comes to investing in career paths that bring stability and long-term financial security. But what if there were a different logic applied to financing a college education. Host Michel Martin talks to Neoga Leviner, who leads the investment group Lumni, about her organization of creative, non-traditional alternatives to paying for college. New College Teaches Young American Muslims Late last month, the 15 students who comprise Zaytuna College's inaugural class settled in to their first day in a classroom near the University of California, Berkeley. For these students, this is a chance to study with top Islamic scholars. For the school's founders, it's a chance to hone a new image for American Islam. The First Day: What's Your Back To School Ritual? Students and parents often kick off each new school year with annual rituals -- buying new shoes, taking a last-minute trip, or picking out a shiny new lunchbox. Writer Sally Friedman shares three generations of back-to-school memories. Rite Of Passage: Moving Into A College Dorm It's an annual ritual in Boston, as well as other areas across the country, parents help their kids move in at college dormitories. In Boston, move-in day is pretty chaotic and ties up traffic. Op-Ed: DEA Call For Ebonics Experts Smart Move The Drug Enforcement Administration is seeking Ebonics translators to interpret wire-tapped conversations. Critics fear the move by a federal agency could set a precedent. But linguist John McWhorter argues that, while any conversation about Ebonics is charged, the DEA is on the right track. Students Quiz Education Sec. Arne Duncan Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has spent much of the back-to-school season talking with teachers and parents. His department recently oversaw the awarding of more than $4 billion to public schools in select states. While he's addressed countless teachers in recent weeks, now, he tackles students' questions. Women's Salaries Back On Top For Younger Set Unmarried women between the ages of 22 and 30 are making 8 percent more than men in the same demographic, according to a new analysis of government data by a private research firm. It's partly because more women are college educated. But overall, women still make less than men. BYU Going Independent In Football BYU says it is leaving the Mountain West Conference and will go independent in football while joining the West Coast Conference in all other sports in the 2011-2012 school year. 'L.A. Times' Database Angers Teachers, Union The Los Angeles Times has published a controversial database giving ratings for individual teachers in the huge L.A. Unified School District. Teachers and their union are outraged, and claim the ratings are a false measure of classroom performance. Parents Push For Diversity In New Orleans' Schools In the city's public schools, test scores are climbing, charter schools are opening all the time, and facilities are being upgraded. But the population of the schools is overwhelmingly African-American. The head of one charter school network says it takes a long time to break old patterns. One School District's Use Of Value-Added Analysis NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Donald Martin, superintendent of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School District in North Carolina, which has been using value-added analysis in evaluating its teachers for the past three years. Martin says the method is only one part of teacher evaluations, and that data collected is for internal use only. Teacher Performance Data Stirs Evaluation Debate Everyone agrees teacher performance is crucial to student achievement, but there is no consensus on how best to evaluate educators. The Los Angeles Times has fanned the heated debate by publishing the names of 6,000 L.A. teachers, along with data showing their students' test performance. University Attendance Scanners Make Some Uneasy Northern Arizona University has installed electronic devices that record student attendance in an effort to boost freshmen grades and lift lagging graduation rates. But some students say the monitoring makes them feel less independent.
Top 10 Box Office Movies
1. The American $16.6M
2. Machete $14.1M
3. Takers $13.5M
4. The Last Exorcism $8.7M
5. Going the Distance $8.5M
6. The Expendables $8.3M
7. The Other Guys $6.6M
8. Eat Pray Love $6.1M
9. Inception $5.8M
10. Nanny McPhee Returns $4.8M
Search for other movies
Environment
BP Spill Report Spreads Blame, What About Liability?
BP says its report released Wednesday was not designed to assign blame to any one company or action. But it does say other companies including BP were at fault in the accident. Will this change the company's legal or financial liability? Thad Allen On Lessons Learned From BP's Spill Retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen is the National Incident Commander for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He tells Steve Inskeep that he doesn't think the U.S. was prepared for a deepwater event in the Gulf. Thad Allen And Lessons Learned From The Gulf Oil Spill The retired admiral tells Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep about challenges he's faced as national incident commander for the spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BP Report Shares Blame For Rig Explosion BP has released the results of an in-house investigation into the causes of the blowout at its well in Gulf of Mexico on April 20. The report identifies eight separate failures -- either of equipment or human judgment -- that led to the disaster. BP Report An Exercise In Finger-Pointing Local officials and congressional investigators said BP was shirking responsibility by passing the blame in its internal report of the oil rig explosion in the Gulf. And companies that BP pointed a finger at were quick to point a finger back. BP Report Blames Multiple Companies For Gulf Spill The oil giant's 193-page report says a sequence of failures led to the massive Gulf of Mexico spill that fouled waters and shorelines for months. The company's findings are far from the final word on possible causes of the explosion that sank the Deepwater Horizon drill rig. BP Issues Report On Gulf Oil Spill Disaster BP is releasing a 200-page assessment Wednesday, detailing the cause of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill ultimately put more than four million barrels of oil into the Gulf. In addition, a new federal study finds that oil is gradually disappearing, as bacteria continue to gobble it up. Scientists: Bacteria Consuming BP Oil Government scientists say they are seeing a zone in the Gulf of Mexico that has below-normal levels of oxygen. That indicates bacteria in the area are consuming some of the oil that spewed from BP's well. Marine Scientists Seek Standards For Spill Research Much of the scientific effort that has followed the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has focused on how much oil escaped and where it's gone. But many biologists say they're puzzled by the lack of an organized research effort to measure the damage. Green Building: A Real Estate Revolution? Green building now accounts for close to one-third of new U.S. construction. That's up from 2 percent in 2005, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, which tracks the industry. The U.S. Green Building Council, and its LEED rating system, have changed construction practice -- and policy -- around the country. Twisted History: The Wily Mississippi Cuts New Paths The Mississippi River has been consistently changing its path across the American landscape. But the shape-shifting river made it not only fascinating and beautiful, but also deadly. Un-Natural Selection: Human Evolution's Next Steps Millions of years ago, the natural environment was shaping us into the species we are now and humans evolved by natural selection. But as humans continue to evolve, we've turned the notion of natural selection on its head. Nature isn't the only force that picks the genes. Humans are doing it too. Evolving Culture: Where Do We Go From Here? Humans are still evolving, but cultural evolution is far outpacing genetic evolution. Our environment and technology are changing so rapidly that genetic adaptations can't keep up. So we're adapting by learning new things and passing that knowledge onto the next generation. Scientist Watches Glacier Melt Beneath His Feet Scientists collecting ice cores from Indonesia's Pancak Jaya say they saw the 16,000-foot glacier drop 12 inches in just two weeks. Puncak Jaya is one of the few tropical glaciers remaining in the world, and it's especially vulnerable to climate change. This makes it especially important to researchers. A Village Sacrificed For China's Greater Good A $62-billion water diversion project 60 years in the making will channel water from the south of the country to the drought-prone North. The project will dislocate 330,000 people, who must leave their homes forever.
Food
Why The Priest Fainted: An Ode To Eggplant
This fruit commonly used as vegetable is perhaps less loved in the U.S. than in India and the Mideast, where food writer Monica Bhide grew up. But after years of presenting different renditions to American friends and family, she's found ways to woo the eggplant skeptics -- including these spice-laden recipes and tips. Will FDA Approve Genetically Modified Salmon? The Food and Drug Administration could approve genetically modified salmon for human consumption. Anne Kapuscinski, professor of Sustainability Science at Dartmouth College, offers her insight. Safer For Your Soul, But Is Kosher Healthier, Too? After mad cow disease, peanut butter recalls and e-coli in spinach, shoppers want to know what?s in their food and where it comes from. That's turned a very old way of eating into a very new way of shopping -- one that crosses religious lines. Eat Your Way Down I-95, And Other Stops To Make In their seven-year love affair with Interstate 95, Stan Posner and Sandra Phillips-Posner have found the best Polish sausage, Berger cookies and a battleship you can spend the night on. Is Organically Produced Food More Nutritious? Reporting in the journal PLoS ONE, researchers write that organically grown strawberries contain more antioxidants and vitamin C than conventional berries. Ira Flatow and guests discuss the findings, and whether the differences would have any meaningful impact on Americans' health. Where's The Beef? One Man's Search For 'Steak' Mark Schatzker, a lifelong steak lover, was disappointed in the steaks he was eating. So Schatzker set off on a quest to find the very best piece of beef in the world -- a quest that took him from feedlots in Texas, to French cave paintings of prehistoric cattle, to the Argentine pampas. Burger King Sold For $3.26 Billion To Private Investors Burger King has agreed to be bought by a private-equity group for $3.26 billion. Boy Howdy! You Can Deep Fry Beer Amateur chef Mark Zable from Texas has a new culinary invention: fried beer. Zable tells Steve Inskeep this is the first time anyone has successfully deep fried a liquid. He'll debut his fried beer at the Texas State Fair later this month. Overloaded From Your Garden? Just Can It Canning -- the source of jams, pickles and relishes that seems tied to the last century -- is on the upswing. There is a debate whether the trend stems from the tight economy or the local food movement, but its fans say the results are delicious. Learning Who You Are Through What You Eat The long Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer for many in the U.S., but it's also a time when ethnic churches hold massive food festivals to celebrate their origins. For food writer Michele Kayal and her young daughter, Syrian festivals -- and the preparations for them -- are an enduring link to the past. Ice Cream Joins Cheese, Chocolate In Artisan Trend A gelato company in Washington, D.C., is a model of a big trend in the food industry: going artisan. Plenty of people seem willing to pay the higher prices of vendors that use locally sourced products and make smaller batches. A dairy in Pennsylvania is Pitango Gelato's source for the high quality ingredients and natural flavors it sought. Sandwich Monday: The Denny's Fried Cheese Melt For this week's Sandwich Monday, we try the new Denny's Fried Cheese Melt. That's four fried mozzarella sticks stuffed into a grilled cheese sandwich. Researchers Fight To Save Fruits Of Their Labor A Russian court has cleared the way for the government to sell off land used by a world-renowned fruit research center outside St. Petersburg. Scientists say losing the facility means losing seeds and plants that exist nowhere else. But a Russian agency says much of the research center occupies weed-choked fields that would be the perfect spot for new houses. Drink To The Emmys In 'Mad Men' Style We've got a couple of suggestions for a nice drink to go along with Sunday night's awards ceremony. Shelling Out For A Chesapeake Bay Oyster Comeback Chesapeake oysters are a succulent treat that for centuries have been loved almost to extinction. But some scientists and business people are making headway in bringing back the bivalve, for the sake of oyster lovers and the bay.
|
