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EU must act like U.S. on credit crisis - IMF
Europe must show it can respond like the United States in the "trial by fire" of the global financial crisis, says International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
European leaders are meeting in Paris on Saturday to discuss their approach to the global financial crisis.
Strauss-Kahn said that the financial situation was an unprecedented test for the countries that use Europe's common currency, The Associated Press reported.
The IMF boss said the crisis was worrying and that his organization would lower its economic growth forecasts.
Strauus-Khan commented after meeting Saturday with French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss Europe's response.
Sarkozy also planned to meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Also expected to attend was Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker who heads the Eurogroup, comprising the finance ministers of the 15 countries using the euro.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Central Bank President Jean Claude Trichet were also expected at the summit.
Sarkozy said the economic crisis required a global response, while Brown said that no strong bank should be allowed to fail for lack of solvency.
He also mooted setting up a $21 billion European fund to help small businesses through the economic downturn.
Europe has been hit with bankruptcies and stock declines since the crisis unfolded in the United States last month.
Europe has welcomed the approval in the U.S. Congress of a $700 billion financial industry bailout. However, most of the leaders at the summit are against a similar Europe-wide bailout.
Sarkozy has denied France was backing the creation of a special fund to rescue any crisis-hit European banks despite the French finance minister floating the idea.
The European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged Thursday, but it and the Bank of England are under increasing pressure to cut rates quickly in the face of declining economic activity and an increase in unemployment. Europe must show it can respond like the United States in the "trial by fire" of the global financial crisis, says Internati... more -
Fans react as Clay Aiken reveals that he's gay
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY – 7 hours ago
NEW YORK (AP) — The revelation that Clay Aiken is gay hasn't fazed Simon Cowell.
The "American Idol" judge reacted in typically sarcastic form, telling the entertainment news show "Extra": "Wow. That's a shock. It's like being told Santa Claus isn't real. Unbelievable."
Getting serious, Cowell said: "Good for him. If he said it, it's the right thing for him. ... I don't think anyone cares. Let's face it. It's 2008. You know. Who cares?"
The 29-year-old former "Idol" runner-up, multiplatinum recording artist and Broadway star acknowledges his sexuality in an interview with People magazine. He appears on the cover of the latest issue holding his infant son, Parker Foster Aiken, conceived by in-vitro fertilization with friend and producer Jaymes Foster. The headline: "Yes, I'm Gay."
Cowell representative Anne Finn said he was unreachable for further comment Wednesday. His fellow "Idol" judges were not able to be reached: Paula Abdul's spokesman, Jeff Ballard, said she was unavailable, and Randy Jackson's representative, Brit Reece, didn't immediately return phone and e-mail messages.
Cowell might not bat an eyelash, but Aiken's hardcore fans — known as Claymates — are taking the news very seriously. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were reportedly more than 2,000 entries on the message board for Aiken's official Web site.
"We'll `talk' more later, but, suffice it to say, for the first time in recent memory, I am speechless," Aiken writes on his Web site's fan page ClayOnline, according to People. "I'm so proud to know and love all of you."
To read Aiken's newest blog and post a message, the site requires you to join his fan club. Membership fees range from $14.99 plus tax to $29.99, plus shipping and handling for a Clay Aiken tote bag, lip balm and set of Clay Aiken buttons.
Meanwhile, the Aiken fan site ClayManiacs was open for viewing. Response in a thread on the site's "ShoutBox" was generally supportive, though at least one fan was shaken by Aiken's public confession.
"This is really shocking news as I had no idea he was gay," read a comment posted by "Sheridansq." "And now I have to deal with this. I am not sure what to say to people who know I was a fan. ... I didn't go to work today and am not answering the telephone."
In his People interview, Aiken credits baby Parker with making him realize that he could no longer hide his homosexuality from the world. The magazine cover features Aiken holding his son, who was born in August.
"It was the first decision I made as a father," Aiken told the magazine, which arrives on newsstands Friday. "I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn't raised that way, and I'm not going to raise a child to do that." By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY – 7 hours ago NEW YORK (AP) — The revelation that Clay Aiken is gay hasn't fazed Simon Cowell. ... more -
Bush secretly raises money for McCain behind closed doors
President Bush played the role of invisible man on the campaign trail Friday, headlining a closed-door fundraising luncheon for John McCain and the Republican Party with tickets costing as much as $25,000.
McCain was in New York while Bush was in Oklahoma City. The two have not been seen together since a brief appearance after a fundraiser May 27 in Arizona, as McCain tries to put some distance between himself and the unpopular Bush.
A Republican official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak for the McCain campaign, said the president would raise $1 million at the Oklahoma City event, which will benefit McCain and other GOP candidates. The dollar amount raised at the three earlier events Bush attended for McCain has not been disclosed.
http://www.oudaily.com/news/2008/sep/12/okc-residents-p... President Bush played the role of invisible man on the campaign trail Friday, headlining a closed-door fundraising luncheon for John M... more -
Obama's Vice Pres is chosen?
Barack Obama said Thursday he's chosen his running mate, but coyly kept all the details to himself as he campaigned with one leading contender and planned a major rally to present the Democratic ticket Saturday in Illinois.
Obama refused to say whether he'd notified his pick or when exactly he would send cell phones buzzing with the answer delivered via text message.
He didn't reveal his choice to Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, considered to be on Obama's short list, even after they met Thursday, according to two people close to the governor. They spoke on a condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
Obama seemed to relish the frustrations of scores of reporters following him this week in anticipation of the announcement.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" he said with a grin when an Associated Press reporter asked when the text would be sent.
"I've made the selection, that's all you're gonna get," Obama said as he visited a store selling roasted Virginia peanuts as nonchalantly as any other day campaigning in a battleground state.
Obama planned to appear with his pick Saturday at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., where he launched his presidential campaign in February 2007. Obama then planned to travel to the battlegrounds of Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Montana before arriving in Denver to accept his party's nomination Thursday.
One person who had been vetted for the position told The Associated Press there had been no contact from Obama or his campaign about the decision. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Obama campaign asked candidates not to speak about the decision.
The Illinois senator was widely thought to be considering Kaine, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware and Evan Bayh of Indiana. None of them gave anything away—at least not in words.
Obama spent part of the day with Kaine, who reportedly told a colleague Wednesday that he believed he was on the short list. West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said Kaine told him although he hadn't heard anything from the Obama campaign on where he stands at the time, "he really thinks he has a chance at the short straw."
Kaine and Obama met privately with the governor's staff for 15 minutes at a Richmond hotel. Afterward, Kaine said he would let the Obama campaign speak about whether the candidate asked him to be his No. 2. But two people close to Kaine said the governor was still in the dark.
Kaine plans to fly Friday night directly from Virginia to Denver, site of next week's Democratic National Convention, three people with knowledge of the governor's travel plans said. The plans could be changed if Kaine is told he needs to fly to Springfield instead.
Biden had a family gathering at his home Thursday afternoon, with his wife Jill, niece Missy Owens and son Beau, Delaware's attorney general, coming and going past reporters staked outside. Biden ran errands, including a visit to the dentist, but didn't speak to the media as he came and went.
Biden is a favorite for the vice presidential nomination among Democrats who think Obama could use his experience and tough campaign style. Biden has served 35 years in Congress, while Obama has served three.
Sebelius, campaigning for Obama in Iowa, said being mentioned as a potential running mate is something of "an out-of-body experience."
"Whoever it is, I am an enthusiastic supporter," she said but added she would leave the announcement to the campaign.
Bayh worked in his Capitol Hill office and later spent time at his home in Washington. He left wearing shorts and a baseball cap but told reporters outside he had no news to share. "Not tonight, sorry," he said.
It's possible Obama could make a surprise selection, although at least one dark horse candidate appeared out of the running. Former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn's spokesman said he would be traveling internationally until Monday, making a Saturday visit to Springfield seem unlikely. Barack Obama said Thursday he's chosen his running mate, but coyly kept all the details to himself as he campaigned with one lead... more -
AP: Joe Lieberman is a Prick
A little bit of rare, accidental truth from the Associated Press.
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Bad Typo: Joe Lieberman a Real #%&*!
By E&P Staff
Published: August 19, 2008 7:55 AM ET
NEW YORK One of the most amusing typos of the season turned up for awhile overnight in a major Associated Press dispatch. Some in the liberal blogosphere, who have often criticized Sen. Joe Lieberman -- the Democrat turned Independent who has endorsed John McCain -- found it all too apt.
The typo, in an article on the upcoming vice presidential picks due from McCain and Barack Obama and written by one of the top AP political scribes, Nedra Pickler, was soon corrected but can still be found viewed via Google at numerous news sites early this morning.
After focusing on Obama, the article discusses several possible McCain picks, and relates, "His top contenders are said to include Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Less traditional choices mentioned include former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, an abortion-rights supporter, and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democratic vice presidential prick in 2000 who now is an independent."
It's still up at such sites as the Houston Chronicle, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Cleveland's Plain Dealer and many more. A little bit of rare, accidental truth from the Associated Press. ... more -
Scholars make finds in Nazi archive
From prison brothels to slave labor camps, 15 scholars concluded a two-week probe Thursday of an untapped repository of millions of Nazi records, and hailed it as a rich vein of raw material that will deepen the study of the Holocaust.
It was the first concentrated academic sweep of the long-private archive administered by the International Tracing Service since it opened its doors last November to Holocaust survivors, victims’ relatives and historical researchers.
German historian Christel Trouve said the nameless millions of forced laborers began to take shape as individual people as she studied small labor camps - which existed in astonishing numbers.
Among the striking revelations was the identification of the man who rescued an 8-year-old boy in Buchenwald, Israel Meir Lau, who later became Israel's chief rabbi.
Lau said his rescuer was a person called Fyodor from Rostow. Kenneth Waltzer of Michigan State University found it was Fyodor Michajlitschenko, 18, arrested by the Gestapo in 1943, who gave the small boy ear warmers and treated him like a father in Block 8 until the camp's liberation.
Jessica Anderson Hughes of Rutgers University discovered that prostitutes servicing other prisoners in concentration camp brothels often came from ordinary backgrounds - exploding the myth that most had been prostitutes before their arrest.
Hughes said the lists in Bad Arolsen allowed her to attach names to the prisoner-prostitutes at Buchenwald, one of the largest concentration camps which had one of eight known brothels for prisoners.
With the names she could look up incarceration records and she found some women were married, some single, some were mothers. The records said many were arrested for petty theft or other minor crime.
"We always portrayed them as volunteers, but I wanted to know why they volunteered," she said. She believed the prostitutes faced "a choiceless choice."
The opening of the files to scholars followed pressure from survivors and from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. The importance of the archive was highlighted in a series of stories by AP, which was the first news organization to be granted extensive access to the long-restricted papers.
The research project was organized jointly by the tracing service and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, which brought scholars from six countries to begin assessing the significance of the archive, the largest collection of Nazi documents.
The 50 million pages stored in this central German spa town since the mid-1950s previously had been used by Red Cross staff to respond to inquiries about missing persons or the fate of family members, and later to document compensation claims.
With the population of survivors quickly shrinking, the 11 countries that govern the archive agreed in 2006 to widen access to the files. It took another 18 months for all 11 to ratify the required treaty amendments before the archive could open.
The gray metal shelves and cabinets contain 16 miles (25 kilometers) of transport lists, camp registries, medical records, forced labor files and death certificates of some 17.5 million people subjected to Nazi persecutions.
Taken together with written and oral testimonies and the transcripts of war crimes trials, the dry data at Bad Arolsen add texture to the known picture of the Holocaust, from the first concentration camps created within weeks of Hitler's rise to power in January 1933 to the defeat of Nazism in May 1945.
"I've been working on concentration camps for 15 years. We know there was forced laborers in Germany — millions of them," she said. "But then you go through these lists. You see the farmer employing so many people. You see the factory employing hundreds of people. Everything was blurred, but suddenly you have a clear image." From prison brothels to slave labor camps, 15 scholars concluded a two-week probe Thursday of an untapped repository of millions of Na... more -
Oil rises more than $11 to record high
NEW YORK - Oil prices made their biggest single-day leap ever Friday — clearing $139, dragging the Dow Jones industrials down nearly 400 points and raising the once-unthinkable prospect of $150 oil and even higher gas prices by the Fourth of July.
The meteoric rise of nearly $11 for the day piled atop an increase of almost $5.50 the day before, taking oil futures more than 13 percent higher in just two days, easily a record on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
And those weren't the only stunning numbers of the day: The government also reported the nation's unemployment rate zoomed to 5.5 percent in May, a monthly rise of half a percentage point, the biggest in 22 years.
Oil surged higher after Morgan Stanley analyst Ole Slorer predicted strong demand in Asia and tight supplies in the Western Hemisphere could drive prices to $150 by Independence Day, when millions of Americans take to the roads.
That means no end in sight for spiraling gas prices, already above $4 per gallon in much of the country.
Even longtime market observers were shocked by the magnitude and speed of oil's rally.
"We're into unchartered territory, and somewhat off the map as far as historical precedents are concerned," said Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates in Galena, Ill.
Besides the jump in the unemployment rate, the Labor Department said employers had cut 49,000 jobs in May, the fifth straight month of nationwide losses. Job losses for the year reached 324,000.
The White House said President Bush was considering further plans to help energize the economy, already teetering on the edge of recession and crippled by a tumbling housing market and other factors.
On Wall Street, the Dow plunged 394.64 points, more than 3 percent, to close at 12,209.81, the biggest drop in more than 15 months in both percentage and points terms.
Wall Street had managed to shrug off oil's advance on Thursday but succumbed to extreme anxiety Friday.
The stock market's great concern of late has been whether consumers would curb their spending on non-essentials as they were forced to pay more for gas and other staples.
The previously unthinkable idea of $150 oil, and gasoline that will keep climbing above $4, made it clear to investors that consumers would be forced to be even more conservative than they have been in recent months.
Before Thursday, oil had receded nearly $13 a barrel from its highs, a respite from its nearly record-every-day march. But the end of the week sent it right back up again.
The burst in oil prices also raised the prospect of accelerating inflation by adding to already strained transportation costs — which will send prices higher throughout the economy.
Light, sweet crude for July delivery officially finished the day at $138.54, up $10.75 on the Nymex. But after the settlement, the contract jumped as high as $139.12. Prices hit a previous record of $135.09 a barrel on May 22, and settled Thursday at $127.79.
Traders also zeroed in on remarks by an Israeli Cabinet minister who was quoted as saying his country will attack Iran if it doesn't abandon its nuclear program. Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz added that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "will disappear before Israel does," the Yediot Ahronot daily reported.
Iran is the second-biggest oil producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and traders worry that any conflict with Israel could disrupt global supplies.
A further weakening of the dollar also helped send oil prices higher by enticing overseas buyers armed with stronger currencies and others looking for a hedge against the greenback. But it also represented a stampede by bullish traders and optimistic computer models betting that prices still have further to rise... NEW YORK - Oil prices made their biggest single-day leap ever Friday — clearing $139, dragging the Dow Jones industrials down nearly 4... more -
Canada launches privacy probe into Facebook
By Associated Press// Chicago Tribune
(Excerpt from main article)
TORONTO - Canada's federal privacy commissioner has launched an investigation into Facebook after four students complained that the popular Web site violates Canadian law by disclosing personal information to advertisers without proper consent.
The University of Ottawa law students, some of whom are dedicated Facebook users, allege in a complaint lodged Friday that the social networking Web site has committed 22 violations of the law.
"There's definitely some significant shortcomings with Facebook's privacy settings and with their ability to protect users," said Harley Finkelstein, 24, one of the students behind the complaint.
Facebook has refuted the claims, saying that the complaint ignores key elements of the company's policy.
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Full story at link. By Associated Press// Chicago Tribune (Excerpt from main article) ... more -
Digital Cable Lasts Forever? A Cable Box Dies
WASHINGTON - The set-top box, a necessary appendage for millions of cable televisions for decades, is moving toward extinction.
A leading television manufacturer, Sony Electronics Inc., and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association said Tuesday they signed an agreement that will allow viewers to rid themselves of set-top boxes, yet still receive advanced "two-way" cable services, such as pay-per-view movies.
In most cases, cable viewers also could dispose of another remote control since they could use their TV's control rather than one tied to the set-top box.
The agreement marks a significant meeting of the minds between cable companies and one of the world's dominant makers of consumer electronics. The two industries have been feuding for a decade about how best to deliver cable service to customers while allowing them to buy equipment of their own choosing.
Sony agreed to use the cable industry's technology in its sets as soon as possible but could not say when the first such televisions might be appear in stores.
The agreement is between Sony and the nation's six largest cable companies: Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable Inc., Cox Communications Inc., Charter Communications Inc., Cablevision Systems Corp. and Bright House Networks. The six companies serve more than 82 percent of cable subscribers.
Cable subscribers are generally locked into renting a set-top box from their provider if they want more than the most basic cable TV service.
More than a decade ago, Congress ordered the cable industry to allow outside electronics makers to compete for the boxes. The industry developed the cable cards, which are inserted into televisions and add-on devices equipped to handle them.
The cards have been the source of frequent customer complaints and never proved popular. In addition, sets can only receive signals from their cable company, not vice versa. Subscribers were unable to enjoy "two-way" features such as video on demand, on-screen channel guides and cable company-provided digital video recorders.
Customers will still be able to attach their own devices — like TiVo digital video recorders, according to the NCTA.
Under the new system, customers will still need to get a cable card from their provider, but the agreement means, hopefully, technical glitches will be eliminated, "two-way" services will be available and there will be no need for the clunky boxes.
The cable association said it was hopeful other electronics manufacturers will also agree to use the same technology.
The industry hopes to head off action by the Federal Communications Commission to impose a two-way standard on the industry. The FCC declined to comment on the agreement Tuesday. WASHINGTON - The set-top box, a necessary appendage for millions of cable televisions for decades, is moving toward extinction. ... more -
AP: Nepali King given 15 days to leave palace
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG
KATMANDU (AP) — Nepal stood on the brink of becoming the world's newest republic Wednesday as an assembly charged with ending 239 years of royal rule prepared to meet amid tight security.
But with the world's last Hindu king still in the pink-hued, 1970s-era concrete palace that dominates central Katmandu, political leaders said he would be given 15 days to leave, stepping back from earlier threats to remove him by force, if necessary.
Getting rid of the king, however, is in many ways the least of the new government's problems, as evidenced by a string of bombings that hit Katmandu this week — all apparently aimed at pro-republic politicians and activists...
...A "republic will be declared tomorrow," said Baburam Bhattarai, the deputy leader of the Maoists, Nepal's former rebels, told The Associated Press after Tuesday's swearing in ceremony. "Once republic is declared, the king will automatically lose his position and place in the palace."
..."We are Nepal now. It is no longer the king's country," said Ram Shrestha, a 26-year-old store clerk. "Tomorrow we will celebrate and he will leave the palace."
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Full story at link By MATTHEW ROSENBERG ... more -
Virginia Executes First Killer in Two Years
Associated Press/MSNBC
JARRATT, Va. - A man whose lawyers claimed he was mentally disabled was executed late Tuesday for killing a convenience store owner in Virginia.
Kevin Green [who lawyers claim was mentally disabled] was pronounced dead Tuesday at 10:05 p.m. EDT in the first execution in Virginia in nearly two years. The 31-year-old's execution by injection was also the third in the United States since the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of lethal injection in April.
Green was convicted of the 1998 killing of Patricia Vaughan.
Full story at link. Associated Press/MSNBC ... more -
McCain Takes Swipe at Bush on Global Warming
Maybe I'm biased but this speech just not seem genuine at all. It almost feels like he's jumping onto the "Global Warming" bandwagon to raise his chances of winning Maybe I'm biased but this speech just not seem genuine at all. It almost feels like he's jumping onto the "Global Warmi... more
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McCain supported "Mission Accomplished" banner in '03: AP article d...
From Media Matters for America:
The AP reported that Sen. John McCain 'said President Bush should not be held responsible for the much-criticized 'Mission Accomplished' banner five years ago', and that McCain said of the banner, 'I thought it was wrong at the time'. But the AP did not report comments McCain made 'at the time' about the banner in a Fox News interview, in which host Neil Cavuto noted that 'many argue the conflict [in Iraq] isn't over', to which McCain replied, 'then why was there a banner that said 'Mission Accomplished' on the aircraft carrier?'
Fri, May 2, 2008 5:29pm ET
http://mediamatters.org/items/200805020005?f=h_top From Media Matters for America: ... more -
North Pole could be ice free in 2008
You know when climate change is biting hard when instead of a vast expanse of snow the North Pole is a vast expanse of water. This year, for the first time, Arctic scientists are preparing for that possibility.
"The set-up for this summer is disturbing," says Mark Serreze, of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). A number of factors have this year led to most of the Arctic ice being thin and vulnerable as it enters its summer melting season.
Photo Text:
A polar bear roams on the remote Svalbard archipelago between Norway's northern tip and the North Pole, Sept. 1, 1998. The thousands of polar bears that prowl the archipelago are one of the main reason visitors venture to the frozen islands, which are as far north as one can go on a regularly scheduled airline. The huge and aggressive animals rarely come into Longyearbyen, the capital of the Svalbards, but local authorities recommend that visitors who head out of town take along high-powered rifles,which can be rented at local stores. You know when climate change is biting hard when instead of a vast expanse of snow the North Pole is a vast expanse of water. This yea... more -
I feel discriminated, by my DNA
The Senate passed a bill banning employers, insurers from discrimination based on DNA tests. People learning through genetic testing that they might be susceptible to devastating diseases wouldn't also have to worry about losing their jobs or their health insurance under anti-discrimination legislation the Senate passed Thursday.
I believe governments should not pass bills banning from discrimination. It is one of those "common sense" things like breathing. You would not pass a law requiring people to breath, nor would you pass a stupid bill saying I can not prefer dark skin over light, or a DNA of ACTGCCTAA over TCAGGATTC.
Would it not be better to give life-or-death healthcare to everyone? (Life-or-Death would mean broken neck, cancer...; It would not include dentistry, cosmetic surgey, LASIK...) The Senate passed a bill banning employers, insurers from discrimination based on DNA tests. People learning through genetic testing t... more -
Does professor politics influence students?
Conservatives complain that college professors lean left when it comes to politics -- and the data mostly show that's true. But new research suggests the personal politics of academics have little effect on what their students think.
The research, to be published later in 2008 in the journal PS: Political Science and Politics, analyzes separate surveys on the attitudes of about 6,800 students at 38 universities and how they changed between freshman and senior year. Then it examines whether those results are affected by the political attitudes of the faculty at their particular schools. Conservatives complain that college professors lean left when it comes to politics -- and the data mostly show that's true. But n... more -
‘Recycled’ medications help battle rising costs
At least 33 states ponder drug donations to help the uninsured and poor.
The struggle to keep soaring medical costs in check is feeding an increase in state programs that collect unused prescription drugs to give away to the uninsured and poor.
A pilot program in Cheyenne, Wyo., last year netted $81,000 in donated drugs to fill 557 prescriptions. State officials say that's just a small slice of the vast reserves of drugs that go to waste each year. At least 33 states ponder drug donations to help the uninsured and poor. ... more -
Screw America! Obama is a Muslim: McCain is an Adulterer
"EXCUSE AUDIO SYNCH"
Recent media reports have called into question the patriotism of Senator Obama and his wife Michelle not to mention the fidelty of Senator John McCain. Well, what about the rest of us?
More witty commentary from Larry D Fowler. "EXCUSE AUDIO SYNCH" ... more -
Cool Associated Press Gizmo - Video Links
This interface gives you a link to dynamic video stories from Associate Press.
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15 Year Old Boy Kills Entire Family
COCKEYSVILLE, Md. (AP) â A 15-year-old boy was charged with murder Sunday in the shooting deaths of his parents and two younger brothers in their suburban Baltimore home.
Nicholas Waggoner Browning was charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of his father, John Browning, 45; his mother Tamara, 44; and his brothers Gregory, 13, and Benjamin, 11. He was charged as an adult.
Browning was arrested at 1:05 a.m. Sunday after he admitted to the killings, Baltimore County Police spokesman Bill Toohey said.
The teen had not been getting along with his father, police said in a news release. On Friday night, he went into the house after other family members were asleep and shot each of them using his father's handgun, which was in the house, police said. COCKEYSVILLE, Md. (AP) â A 15-year-old boy was charged with murder Sunday in the shooting deaths of his parents and two younger brot... more
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