New York Times

• Your Money: How Debt Can Destroy a Budding Relationship 3 September 2010, 7:44 pm
  Because one person’s debt becomes a shared responsibility in marriage, when do you reveal a substantial liability? ...
• Venerable Craft, Modern Practitioner 3 September 2010, 7:44 pm
  A family business with roots in Italy steps away from some long-held traditions to survive and grow in a modern world. ...
• Private Sector in U.S. Added More Jobs Over Summer 3 September 2010, 7:43 pm
  American businesses added more jobs in the last three months than originally estimated, but the wheels of the economic recovery are still spinning in place. ...
• Syria Moves to Curb Influence of Muslim Conservatives 3 September 2010, 7:43 pm
  The country, which had sought to show solidarity with Islamic groups and allow religious figures a greater role in public life, has reversed course. ...
• Blackwater Won Contracts via Web of Companies 3 September 2010, 7:43 pm
  The security contractor created dozens of shell companies or subsidiaries in part to obtain U.S. contracts after it was criticized for its conduct in Iraq, officials and investigators said. ...
• Kara DioGuardi Exits ‘American Idol’ 3 September 2010, 7:41 pm
  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kara DioGuardi is following Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell out the door at ''American Idol.'' ...
• Rangel Should Resign, Manhattan Voters Tell Poll 3 September 2010, 7:40 pm
  A poll revealed a reversal in public sentiment toward Representative Charles B. Rangel in light of charges of ethical violations. ...
• Failed Blowout Preventer Is Removed, BP Says 3 September 2010, 7:15 pm
  The blowout preventer, which is considered a key piece of evidence in the Gulf of Mexico spill investigation, will now be raised to the surface. ...
• 7.1 Earthquake Hits New Zealand 3 September 2010, 6:44 pm
  A major earthquake hit west of Christchurch early Saturday morning, causing no immediate reports of casualties but widespread damage, authorities said. ...
• Hurricane Weakens as It Hits the Coast 3 September 2010, 6:42 pm
  A diminished Hurricane Earl on Friday churned north through the Atlantic toward the communities along Cape Cod. ...

CNN Top Stories

• Florida love triangle killer sentenced 3 September 2010, 7:02 pm
  A Florida judge sentenced Rachel Wade, the 20-year-old woman convicted of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing her romantic rival in a fight last year, to 27 years in prison Friday. ...
• Acid victim: Shades, God saved eyes 3 September 2010, 5:35 pm
  Bethany Storro doesn't usually wear sunglasses, but she got a surprise paycheck and bought a pair earlier this week. Those sunglasses, she is convinced, saved her eyesight when a woman threw a cup of acid in her face 20 minutes later. ...
• Opinion: Plea to free U.S. hikers in Iran 3 September 2010, 5:33 pm
  When the month of Ramadan began, I received a letter from Laura Fattal, the mother of one of the three young American hikers detained in Iran. In it, Fattal appealed to me, the first Muslim scholar she had contacted, to intervene on behalf of her son and his two friends. ...
• Northeast eyes Earl 3 September 2010, 5:29 pm
  Hurricane Earl weakened to a Category 1 storm Friday with winds of 85 mph, but the Northeast was still preparing to feel its fury. ...
• 7.0 quake causes damage in New Zealand 3 September 2010, 5:11 pm
  A powerful predawn earthquake hit New Zealand, causing water mains to break and some buildings to crumble, though there were no immediate reports of deaths. ...
• UPS plane crashes near Dubai, kills 2 3 September 2010, 4:56 pm
  A cargo plane has crashed in an uninhabited area near the Dubai airport, according to the official WAM news agency in the United Arab Emirates. ...
• Religious leaders hit back at Hawking 3 September 2010, 3:40 pm
  After physicist Stephen Hawking's claim that God didn't create the universe, the head of the Church of England says that "physics on its own will not settle the question of why there is something rather than nothing." ...
• Feds bust huge human-trafficking ring 3 September 2010, 3:36 pm
  Six job recruiters have been indicted in federal court in what the FBI has called the largest human-trafficking operation ever to result in charges in the United States. ...
• Scientists find recipe for water in space 3 September 2010, 10:41 am
  European scientists say they've figured out the recipe for water in space: Just add starlight. ...
• 25 drug suspects die in shootout 3 September 2010, 10:18 am
  A shootout between soldiers and suspected drug dealers in northeast Mexico left 25 of the suspects dead, the regional military said Thursday. ...

Engadget

• Fujitsu announces LifeBook T580 with four-finger multitouch 3 September 2010, 8:00 pm
  We haven't spotted this one at IFA yet, but Fujitsu has taken advantage of the show to announce its new LifeBook T580, which it's going so far as to call "slate-beating." That apparently comes from the fact that it's not only a convertible tablet PC, but one with four-finger multitouch. Unfortunately, that's done on a 10.1-inch resistive touchscreen (complete with a stylus that can be tucked away), but the rest of the specs aren't too shabby, and include up to a Core i5 processor, optional 3G a...
• Panasonic's prototype Micro Four Thirds 3D lens and body arrive in Berlin 3 September 2010, 7:20 pm
  And here it is, Panasonic's prototype G-series micro-four-thirds shooter with new interchangeable 3D lens. We caught the pair hanging out at IFA with nary a soul around to take notice. Too bad for them, good for you if you've made the jump to a panny MFT as the lens will ultimately be compatible with your Lumix G micro system... probably -- unfortunately, Panasonic isn't saying which cams will be eligible for the software update. From the sound of it, the whole kit will get official in just a...
• Apple's Ping gains a million users in first two days 3 September 2010, 6:39 pm
  We're still trying to figure out exactly what Apple's new Ping social network is good for, but apparently quite a few people are curious about it: it's already racked up a million users in its first two days. That's just a third of the people who've downloaded iTunes 10, so we're sure the numbers are will grow even faster as more people snag iTunes and the network effect starts to kick in -- and things will get really crazy if Apple and Facebook ever work out their little tiff. Just remember: i...
• Logitech Revue and Google TV get very early blurrycam impressions 3 September 2010, 6:25 pm
  Well, what do we have here? Looks like a Logitech beta user was kind enough to (potentially break his NDA and) show off his early grab: the Google TV-infused Revue. What follows is a series of blurred photos that'd make the FCC weep, but all the same, who are we to critique news? The little unassuming box has HDMI in and out ports, a couple of USB inputs, ethernet, and SPDIF. According to the handler, installation was a "12-step process includes asking the details of your Google account, your p...
• LG Optimus One and Optimus Chic eyes-on 3 September 2010, 5:28 pm
  That "leaked" low-end LG Android device from a few days back? Turns out it was nothing more than the Optimus Chic, one of two Google-powered phones that the company announced back in early July. They're still not ready to let us touch the damned things here at IFA -- apparently on account of the fact that they're not commercially available yet -- but we got close enough to conclude that you definitely won't be fooling anyone into thinking that you've dropped many hundreds of euros on your phone...
• Cambridge scientists develop lower-than-low power WORM memory 3 September 2010, 5:01 pm
  Researchers at Cambridge University have recently published a paper on their new type of WORM (write once read many) memory which is even more low powered than the ones that came before it. The new electron-only design of the memory is solution processed, making it low cost as well as it requires no lithography. The device, using ZnO semiconductor nanoparticles to inject electrons into a polymer which is capable of conducting. The electrons are then used to program the memory by permanently low...
• SD Card Association: flash card speeds to triple by 2012 3 September 2010, 4:35 pm
  The SD Card Association (truth be told, one of our favorite card-related associations) has a new spec in the works that will almost triple the speed of its SDHC and SDXC cards, according to CNET. The specification, which should be complete Q1 next year, will achieve 300MB per second by adding a second row of electrical contacts on the bottom face of the card, and will be backward compatible with older, slower devices. Although being referred to internally as SD 4.0, brand names for the technolo...
• Klipsch issues first on-ear headphones, Image S5i Rugged and bargain Image S3 earbuds 3 September 2010, 4:14 pm
  It's been awhile since we sashayed through Klipsch's world headquarters back in December of last year, but the company certainly hasn't let off of the pedal. Today at IFA, it managed to introduce no fewer than three new headphones, including the outfit's very first on-ear set. The Image One was built to bring Klipsch's signature sound to folks who'd prefer cans over 'buds, and it's also amongst the first to have an Apple-centric mic and three-button remote for controlling music playback on iPod...
• App Review: Angry Birds (Android) 3 September 2010, 3:29 pm
  What does it take to make an addictive game? Not much -- just throw in some super simple controls, cute graphics, and basic physics. Rovio Mobile's Angry Birds is one such game that includes all these elements, and today the studio's just released a public Android beta to cater those without an iOS, webOS or Ovi-enabled device. In case you're not already familiar with the popular title, the backstory is that a gang of hungry pigs snatched away some eggs from the birds, forcing the feathered cre...
• Vodafone's Microsoft Surface: like Go Fish for phones 3 September 2010, 3:10 pm
  Microsoft worked with Vodafone late last year to deploy Surfaces to a few dozen stores in several European countries (much as AT&T has done in the US), and one of those units happens to be set up at the carrier's IFA booth this week. The basic idea here is that each available model appears as a card that can be twirled, resized, and flung around the screen. When the software first starts, the cards start in a deck from which you can "deal" onto the table -- but when we first approached it, ...

Gizmodo

• The Struggle To Find Where The Sticky Tape Begins Could Be Over [Concept] 3 September 2010, 7:40 pm
  Whenever I use sticky tape, I find myself struggling to figure where it begins—mostly because I don't use tape dispensers or fold back the end—but my struggle might be over thanks to this new tape concept. More » ...
• Free Fallout: New Vegas Graphic Novel Preview Hits iPad [Ipad] 3 September 2010, 7:20 pm
  Have an iPad and a bit of time? Might want to check out the free preview of the Fallout: New Vegas All Roads graphic novel. More » ...
• Why do light bulbs burn out just as they’re turned on? [Madscience] 3 September 2010, 7:00 pm
  Light bulbs are living on borrowed time, but why do their timers tend to expire just as you turn on a light, instead of flickering out randomly? More » ...
• Freak Out Your Coworkers With Google Docs Konami Code [EasterEggs] 3 September 2010, 6:20 pm
  The Konami Code (if you don't know it, then shame on you!) has long been part of geek lore. But now it can be part of your work day too: Google has added a new, pranktastic easter egg to Docs. More » ...
• Hands On With The New Xbox 360 Controller [UPDATE] [Xbox 360] 3 September 2010, 6:17 pm
  Xbox Live's Major Nelson was roaming PAX here in Seattle, probably needing something fun to do. So I asked him to let me try the new Xbox 360 controller with transforming D-pad — oh, and the analog sticks are different. More » ...
• Let's Talk Adventure! [Adventure] 3 September 2010, 6:00 pm
  Writing an eBay description of a beloved car is like writing an obituary for a friend that's still alive. Flaws and strengths. Have to be honest. But then you have to go out to the garage and crawl inside them. More » ...
• Apple Now Serving Up Showtimes With Its Movie Trailers [Movies] 3 September 2010, 5:40 pm
  Apple is offering a new showtimes service to go along with its always popular movie trailer selection. The new site may not be as feature-filled as the likes of Fandango, but it's certainly more slick. More » ...
• This Week's Best Apps [Apps] 3 September 2010, 5:20 pm
  In this week's rockin' and rollin' round up: Shazam, improved; Spidey's webs, slung; photographs, bubble-ified; restaurant waits, crowdsourced; space, explored; to do lists, beautified; iPad music making, jettisoned into the future, and more! More » ...
• Without a Trace: Turn Your Flash Drive into a Portable Privacy Toolkit [Privacy] 3 September 2010, 5:00 pm
  Whether you're trying to increase your security at an internet café, tunnel your way to your home computer from your cubicle, or leave no trace on your friend's borrowed computer, a flash drive turned portable privacy toolkit is invaluable. More » ...
• Threadless T-Shirts Get Turned Into Cakes Like Nothing You've Seen Before [Cakes] 3 September 2010, 4:20 pm
  Sure, we love a good gamecake, but these Threadcakes are in a league of their own. OF THEIR OWN. Clamp your lips 'round the 2010 winners over here: [Threadcakes] More » ...

Ars Technica

• AP: Yeah, we'd better cite pajama-wearing bloggers, too 3 September 2010, 5:20 pm
  The Associated Press didn't need any help from a bunch of unshowered bloggers pecking away at their keyboards from the basement offices in which they play "reporter," thank you very much. Now it knows better. At the AP's 2009 annual meeting, Chairman Dean Singleton reminded his audience (read the speech) that the AP and its members "are the source of most of the news content being created in the world today." The collective remains "the gold standard of newsgathering an...
• Netgear offers 500Mbps powerline networking via next-gen standard 3 September 2010, 3:51 pm
  Even as the IEEE P1901 working group was set to meet this week to recommend its draft standard for broadband over powerline networks for official status, Netgear announced its line of Powerline AV 500 adapters that incorporate the HomePlug-compatible flavor of the standard. The new devices theoretically promise up to gigabit Ethernet speeds over home electrical wiring, and are the first to incorporate the newest standard. The Powerline AV 500 comes in either standard or...
• Ubuntu 10.10 beta arrives with new netbook UI 3 September 2010, 3:25 pm
  Canonical has announced the availability of the Ubuntu 10.10 beta release. The new version of the popular Linux distribution, codenamed Maverick Meerkat, is scheduled for final release in October. It brings some noteworthy user interface improvements and updated software. The beta ships with GNOME 2.31, which introduces support for the new dconf configuration storage system. Ubuntu's standard F-Spot photo tool has been replaced by Shotwell, a relatively new applicati...
• Oil sands release pollutants, contrary to government study 3 September 2010, 2:55 pm
  The extraction of heavy crude oil from oil sands in Canada is releasing as many as 13 kinds of pollutants into the surrounding air and water, according to a study published in PNAS this week. The independent report directly contradicts the results of the government-administered Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP) that claimed neither humans nor the environment were at risk from the oil extraction. Oil sands are swaths of ground that are laced with heavy crude oi...
• Duke Nukem Forever is back: coming to both consoles and PC 3 September 2010, 2:02 pm
  The news of an upcoming announcement at PAX, followed by a tweet that showed the image of a flying pig. These were the hints pointed at a momentous occasion in gaming history: Duke Nukem Forever will see release late this year, or maybe next year, on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Gearbox Software will be taking over development from the now-defunct 3D Realms. After the studio's closing, litigation began between 3D Realms and Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of D...
• Google sticks Wave in a box, puts a bow on top 3 September 2010, 12:40 pm
  Contrary to popular belief, Google Wave is not quite dead. Google plans to expand upon the open source code it has already released to form a more complete, standalone application known as "Wave in a Box." Wave will work (or not work, depending on how you look at it) as it always has, but with the new app, developers can run their own wave servers and host waves from their own machines. "Since the beginning, it has been our vision that the Google Wave protocols could supp...
• Forgetful Facebook fanatics can remotely kill their other sessions 3 September 2010, 12:01 pm
  Forgetful Facebook users and wannabe-burglars can now rest a little easier at night knowing that they can remotely log themselves out if they accidentally left logged-in sessions in other locations. Facebook users will soon be able to see where else they might be logged on, adding another layer of security to the social networking service. Some of you may know the scenario all too well: you log into your Facebook account at your friend's place or your parents' ho...
• Frustrated Nexus One owner sues Google over "sporadic" 3G speed 3 September 2010, 11:27 am
  Imagine that your name is Nathan Nabors and that you live in the sunny climes of Orlando, Florida. Imagine further that, back when Google announced its own Android phone and called it the Nexus One, you realized that your Orlando-based life would only be complete with the purchase of this shiny new gadget. So you bought one, paying the full unlocked price of $563.38 from Google's online store. And, because you already had service with AT&T, you dropped a cool $230 to brea...
• iTunes 10 hands-on: snappier performance, questionable UI choices 3 September 2010, 10:05 am
  By now, most iTunes users have already downloaded and installed iTunes 10. We've already given you the low-down on the biggest addition to the new version of iTunes—the Ping social network—but we also wanted to give our impressions on two "improvements" promised in the release notes: look-and-feel and performance. While we agree that iTunes is "faster and more responsive," we're not sold on the revised user interface. Re...
• Ivy the Kiwi on the Wii, DS is a wonderful, addictive surprise 3 September 2010, 8:50 am
  Ivy the Kiwi was created by Yuji Naka, the co-creator of Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic is a character that continues to enjoy a strong following, and the series gives any follow-up work a huge shadow to live under. Don't worry, this game is up to the challenge. Read the comments on this post ...

Mayo Clinic Blog

• Nail fungus: How to clear up this unsightly infection 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Nail fungus — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, treatment of this unsightly but manageable disorder....
• Alzheimer's: 7 tips for medical visits 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Alzheimer's disease means lots of medical appointments. Make the most of each visit....
• Children and sports: Choices for all ages 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Children and sports — staying fit and learning to get along....
• Artificial sweeteners: Any effect on blood sugar? 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Artificial sweeteners, also called sugar substitutes, offer the sweetness of sugar without the calories....
• Make time to tend your garden 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  A garden can't flourish without nurturing, and neither can you. Don't neglect your own needs....
• Bedbugs: Itching for a solution? 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Bedbugs — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, treatment, prevention, pictures of these insects and their bites....
• Diabetes insipidus 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Diabetes insipidus — Comprehensive overview covers causes and treatment of this condition causing excessive urination....
• Chickenpox and pregnancy: What are the concerns? 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Chickenpox and pregnancy — If chickenpox develops during pregnancy, the risks depend on the timing....
• Salmonella: Response to latest outbreak and recall 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Salmonella infection and the egg recall — protect yourself and your family....
• Seasonale: Does breakthrough bleeding last long? 2 September 2010, 12:00 am
  Seasonale side effects may include bleeding between periods. This usually decreases with time....

WebMD Health

• Hormone in Hair May Reveal Heart Risk 3 September 2010, 4:46 pm
  High levels of cortisol in the hair shaft may increase the risk of heart attack, a study shows....
• SAM-e May Boost Effects of Antidepressants 3 September 2010, 2:38 pm
  SAM-e plus prescription antidepressants may spell relief for hard-to-treat depression, according to a new study....
• Does Depression Cause Weight Gain or Weight Gain? What’s the Depression/Weight Connection? 3 September 2010, 12:57 pm
  Does depression cause weight gain or weight loss? Does weight gain or weight loss cause depression? WebMD helps to unravel the mystery surrounding the link between depression and weight....
• Too Sick to Work? 3 September 2010, 11:18 am
  You wake up feeling crummy. Should you drag yourself to work and risk infecting coworkers? Or should you phone in sick, even though your boss desperately needs you to pitch in during a stressful week?...
• Osteoporosis Drugs May Be Linked to Cancer Risk 2 September 2010, 7:23 pm
  The long-term use of oral bisphosphonate osteoporosis drugs such as Actonel, Boniva, and Fosamax may be associated with a doubling in esophageal cancer risk, but the risk to individual users remains small, researchers say....
• Men With Insomnia May Have Higher Risk of Death 2 September 2010, 6:55 pm
  Men with insomnia have a fourfold higher death rate than those who sleep at least 6 hours a night, a 14-year study finds. It's not yet clear whether women with insomnia also die sooner....
• Is Your Kitchen as Clean as a Restaurant's? 2 September 2010, 6:25 pm
  An online quiz rates your hygiene practices with a letter grade -- and gives you the information you need to keep your food safe from bacteria....
• Prescription Drug Use on the Rise in U.S. 2 September 2010, 5:53 pm
  Prescription drug use in the U.S. has been rising steadily in the past decade and the trend shows no signs of slowing, the CDC says in a new report....
• Teen Pot Smoking Won't Lead to Other Drugs as Adults 2 September 2010, 4:05 pm
  New research finds little support for the hypothesis that marijuana is a "gateway" drug leading to the use of harder drugs in adulthood....
• FAQ: How Health Care Reform Will Affect You 2 September 2010, 2:55 pm
  The journey toward health care reform reached a historic milestone March 22 when the House approved legislation that would extend coverage to 32 million more Americans and impose new restrictions on the insurance industry....

New York Times Health

• Modified Salmon Is Safe, F.D.A. Says 3 September 2010, 7:48 pm
  The assessment makes it more likely that the fish will become the first genetically modified animal to enter the American food supply. ...
• F.D.A. Backtracks and Returns Dizziness Drug to Market After Complaints 3 September 2010, 7:40 pm
  The recall for the drug midodrine has been removed, F.D.A. officials announced, as a result of patient demand to keep it on the market. ...
• Patient Money: Food Safety Tips for the Budget-Conscious 3 September 2010, 6:40 pm
  Safety experts have advice on ways to germ-proof your food, and still save money. ...
• Creating a Safer Kitchen 3 September 2010, 3:40 pm
  Food scares, such as the latest contaminated egg problem, often trigger a rethinking in cooking and shopping habits. In today's Patient Money column, Walecia Konrad explores the costs and options consumers face on their quest for germ-free kitchens. ...
• Child’s Ordeal Shows Risks of Psychosis Drugs for Young 3 September 2010, 3:28 pm
  Powerful drugs are given to young children despite a lack of study on how they affect development. ...
• Sunday Shopping Takes Toll on Happiness 3 September 2010, 1:35 pm
  If the traditional day of rest and worship has become your day to shop, it may be taking a toll on your happiness. ...
• The Bay Citizen: I.R.S. Looks at Finances of Bay Area Clinic 3 September 2010, 12:18 pm
  The criminal division of the Internal Revenue Service is looking into the finances of Planned Parenthood Golden Gate in Oakland, CA, which has also begun its own investigation. ...
• Vegetarian Recipes for Barbecue Season 3 September 2010, 12:14 pm
  If your Labor Day plans include a picnic or barbecue, be sure to check out Martha Rose Shulman's latest installment of Recipes for Health, which offers flavorful options for vegetarian eaters. ...
• A Child Psychiatrist Responds 3 September 2010, 11:37 am
  Dr. Mary Margaret Gleason answers some readers' questions. ...
• Will Aging Chimps Get to Retire, or Face Medical Research? 3 September 2010, 10:47 am
  A move of some of 186 chimpanzees to a research center in Texas has spurred outrage among animal rights advocates, primate experts and politicians. ...

New York Times Politics

• In Pennsylvania, a 'Race Card' Accusation 3 September 2010, 7:38 pm
  In Sixth District House race, the Republican incumbent takes issue with the Democratic challenger's fund-raising. ...
• Tea Party Express Stands by O'Donnell 3 September 2010, 6:25 pm
  Questions mount about Delaware Senate candidate's personal finances and integrity. ...
• The Presidential Rainmaker, Cont. 3 September 2010, 5:52 pm
  President Obama will campaign for Senate candidates Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania. ...
• G.O.P. Poised to Control 30 Governor Seats 3 September 2010, 4:14 pm
  Republicans are on track to win approximately 30 governor seats in November, up from 23 now, according to the FiveThirtyEight forecasting model. ...
• Bernanke Says He Failed to See Financial Flaws 3 September 2010, 3:25 pm
  The Federal Reserve chairman also said it was impossible for the government to save Lehman Brothers in 2008. ...
• Crossroads County: Fewer Young Voters See Themselves as Democrats 3 September 2010, 3:15 pm
  Though many students are liberals on social issues, the weak job market has taken a toll on their loyalties. ...
• BP Says Limits on Drilling Imperil Spill Payouts 3 September 2010, 1:10 pm
  The company says proposed legislation could disrupt its efforts to set aside $20 billion for claims and penalties. ...
• Obama to Unveil Plans to Shore Up Economy 3 September 2010, 10:47 am
  The president did not offer specifics, though he has said repeatedly that he wants to extend middle class tax cuts and promote new investment in clean energy. ...
• Experts Fear Mideast Talks Are Too Ambitious 3 September 2010, 10:40 am
  Some veteran peace process practitioners say Israel and the Palestinians should first aim for a partial solution because the gaps between the positions are too wide. ...
• The Early Word: 9.6 Percent 3 September 2010, 10:30 am
  The jobless rate rises slightly in August, to 9.6 percent. ...

The Huffington Post

• Jane White: Work Until You're Dead? That May Be the Only Option for Many Americans 6 September 2010, 9:00 am
  Many Americans are likely to have to work until they are dead, not as a result of Social Security shortfalls but because of their inadequate 401(k) savings or the fact that they have no retirement plan at all. This disaster has not dawned on the mutual fund companies that manage retirement assets, much less debated on Capitol Hill. Given that the first wave of Boomers is scheduled to turn 65 in 2011, Attention Must be Paid. Here's the raw deal in a nutshell: Unless you've got Chief and Executi...
• Tennessee Mosque Site Arson: Authorities Offer Reward For Information 3 September 2010, 7:17 pm
  MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Federal investigators said Friday that a suspicious fire that damaged construction equipment at the site of a future mosque in Tennessee was arson and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. The blaze frightened members of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, which has found its plans to build a new mosque drawn into a fierce debate surrounding a proposed Islamic community center two blocks from Manhattan's ground zero. Firefighters had ...
• Hillary Clinton: Mideast Peace Talks May Be 'The Last Chance For A Very Long Time' 3 September 2010, 7:13 pm
  WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to inject urgency into Israeli-Palestinian peace talks Friday, warning the negotiations may be "the last chance for a very long time" to reach an agreement. In an unusual joint interview with Israeli and Palestinian television broadcasters a day after she presided over the launch of the first direct talks in two years, Clinton said the rise of Iranian-backed extremist ideology in the Middle East is a major reason why time is sh...
• Christopher Ward, Ex-NRCC Treasurer, Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement 3 September 2010, 7:04 pm
  McLEAN, Va. — The former treasurer of the National Republican Congressional Committee pleaded guilty Friday to embezzling more than $840,000 from a variety of political committees, including an NRCC account for annual fundraising dinners with President George W. Bush. Christopher J. Ward, 41, who has been under investigation for more than two years, pleaded guilty to a count of scheming to defraud Friday in federal court in Washington. Ward was treasurer of the NRCC from 2003 to 2...
• U.S. Withholding Aid To Mexico Over Human-Rights Abuses 3 September 2010, 6:34 pm
  The Obama administration is withholding $26 million in aid to Mexico, recommending that the government give more power to its human rights commission and crack down on abusive soldiers. In a report released Friday, the State Department said the Mexican government, which is mired in a violent battle with powerful drug cartels, has met human rights requirements to receive $36 million in previously withheld funds that are part of a $1.4 billion Merida Initiative. But the U.S. was going to ...
• AP Issues Standards Memo: 'Combat In Iraq Is Not Over' 3 September 2010, 5:40 pm
  At some point in the last two weeks, you may have been told by someone in the news that combat operations in Iraq were over, and that the last combat troop had left the country. Well, the Associated Press is not having any of it, and in a memo from their standards editor, Tom Kent, the law in this regard has been laid down, in no uncertain terms: "To begin with, combat in Iraq is not over, and we should not uncritically repeat suggestions that it is, even if they come from senior officials." I...
• Jan Brewer Admits She Was Wrong About Beheading Claims 3 September 2010, 5:39 pm
  PHOENIX — Gov. Jan Brewer rose to national fame defending the state's immigration law and warning of rising violence along the U.S.-Mexico border, including a claim that headless bodies were turning up in the Arizona desert. But the claim has come back to haunt her after her stammering debate performance in which she failed to back it up and ignored repeated questions on the issue from a scrum of reporters. Brewer has spent the time since backtracking and trying to repair the dama...
• Dan Maes Will Stay In Colorado Gubernatorial Race Despite GOP Pressure To Drop Out 3 September 2010, 5:18 pm
  DENVER — Republican Dan Maes, Democrat John Hickenlooper and American Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo are officially on the November ballot in the race for Colorado governor. Secretary of State Bernie Buescher certified the list Friday. Buescher says any changes to the ballot would have to come from county clerks from all 64 counties. Maes has pledged to stay in the race despite efforts by Republicans to recruit someone they feel would have a better chance of winning. Th...
• TANF Emergency Fund, Welfare-To-Work Program That Created 240,000 Jobs, Nears End 3 September 2010, 5:11 pm
  Advocates of a welfare-to-work program created by last year's stimulus bill are calling on Congress not to jeopardize some 240,000 jobs by letting the program expire at the end of September. Republicans and a handful of moderate Senate Democrats blocked a reauthorization of TANF Emergency Fund back in March. The progressive Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported Thursday that as the program's Sept. 30 horizon looms, "states are ramping down their subsidized jobs programs, stopping new...
• John Perkins: Mr. CEO, Can You Spare A Job or a Free Lunch 3 September 2010, 5:08 pm
  "An economic policy which does not consider the well-being of all will not serve the purposes of peace and the growth of well-being among the people of all nations."(Eleanor Roosevelt) In case you are tempted to feel sorry during these troubled times for the corporatocracy . . . this just in: The CEOs who fired the most workers during the current economic recession also rewarded themselves with the highest pay. Top managers at the fifty corporations with the greatest number of layoffs were pai...

Daily Kos

• Filibuster reform background: what needs to happen to win 3 September 2010, 8:30 pm
  Disclosure: I'm doing paid work on filibuster reform in the Senate for ProgressiveCongress.org, supported in part by CREDO Action and Blue America. We need your help to continue this work, and you can do it at no cost to you by signing CREDO Action's petition. Or hell, let it cost you something and go donate at Blue America's ActBlue page. The launch of the Daily Kos Senate rules reform petition has raised a key question. What, exactly, are we asking for in this filibuster reform campaign? Wel...
• The brutal reality of the enthusiasm gap 3 September 2010, 7:48 pm
  PPP crunches their data. We hear about the enthusiasm gap all the time, usually in pretty abstract terms. Here it is in black and white: in 10 key races for Senate and Governor in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, and Missouri it's costing Democratic candidates (or Charlie Crist) an average of 7 points on the margin. Per PPP's polling, if Democratic turnout matched that of 2008: Alex Sink in Florida and Alexi Giannoulias would lead by double digits, instead of narrowly...
• Cheers and Jeers: What else---Hurricane FRIDAY! 3 September 2010, 7:31 pm
  From the GREAT STATE OF MAINE... They're back! After three months on the lam, Margaret and Helen---two sassy, brassy 80-somethings (the former a Mainer, the latter a Texan)---are back in action on their blog. A snip of their must-read thoughts on the Beck "I Have A Scheme" event: I just can’t believe 87,000 people are dumb enough to buy that crap. If Beck and Palin want a government so focused on one God and one religion, they should visit the Middle East and see how that concept is wo...
• Late afternoon/early evening open thread 3 September 2010, 6:45 pm
  What's coming up on Sunday Kos .... Dante Atkins will elaborate on the idea that all government spending is not equal. Steve Singiser will look at some of the demographic assumptions being made by pollsters in this cycle, how they deviate from past midterms, and whether they even matter in the prognosis for Democratic fortunes in the upcoming midterms. DarkSyde lands an interview with the most famous scientist of our generation A recent poll found that nearly half the country thinks it's "...
• Change to Win: Wage stagnation has broad impact 3 September 2010, 6:00 pm
  Middle-class families have lost jobs, homes and savings for their children's education or their own retirement as a consequence of the Great Recession. But for many the problem started a long time ago. Over the past 30 years, 34.6% of all income growth went to the top one-tenth of 1% of all earners. The bottom 90% has collectively gotten only 15.9% of all income growth over the same period. The recession has made that situation worse. In fact, according to a just-released poll commissioned by th...
• Appeals court refuses to order California to defend Prop 8 3 September 2010, 5:16 pm
  California's Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown get to continue to do the right thing: The outlook for the legal defense of Proposition 8, California's ban on same-sex marriage, grew cloudier Thursday as a state appellate court refused to order Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown to appeal a federal judge's ruling overturning the measure. The Third District Court of Appeal in Sacramento dismissed without comment a lawsuit seeking to compel the sta...
• CO-Gov: Maes's fairweather friends 3 September 2010, 4:30 pm
  Wow, one little lie about being an undercover cop who got too close to official corruption and you're booted, even from the Tea Party. Apparently making up stories about your personal history is worse than believing in the grand UN bicycle conspiracy. At any rate, Colorado gubenatorial candidate Dan Maes is nobody's darling anymore. Despite mounting pressure from the GOP establishment and Tea Party groups to get out of the governor's race, Republican Dan Maes continued to dig in his heels Thur...
• CO-Sen: Ken Buck wants to go back to the 50s 3 September 2010, 3:46 pm
  Let's go back to the 1950s, says Ken Buck, GOP candidate for Senator in Colorado. Buck: He still has his recorder on right there... [points, laughter] Question: [brief lead-in] What plans do you have to make public education better in America? Buck: "Let's talk about that [education] folks. In the 1950s, we had the best schools in the world. And the United States government decided to get more involved in federal education. [Pols emphasis] Where are we now, after all those years of federal...
• Midday open thread 3 September 2010, 2:59 pm
  Crazy shit. Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conviction of Daniel Millis, convicted of littering because he left sealed bottles of drinking water in a desert wildlife refuge. He explained that he left them "along frequently traveled routes for unlawful entrants to the United States." He belongs to a group called "No More Deaths," and the opinion quotes his testimony: "humanitarian aide [sic] is never a crime." The majority overturned his conviction because a reasonable...
• 9/11 rally wrong for Democrats, okay for teabaggers 3 September 2010, 2:20 pm
  Every American knows that September 11 is the most holy day of the year, a day to put aside partisan politics. Which is why Republicans in York County, South Carolina were outraged that Democrats planned a barbecue and campaign rally on that holiest of holy days. The day should be reserved for remembering terror attack victims and troops who died in Iraq and Afghanistan, GOP Chairman Glenn McCall said Tuesday. "September 11 is not a day for partisan political rallies," McCall said. "It's a ti...

WSJ Real-Time Economics

• S.F. Fed Chairman’s Dual Tasks: Replace Yellen, Sell Napa Estate 3 September 2010, 2:37 pm
  T. Gary Rogers, chairman of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, is busy finding a replacement for Janet Yellen, but he also has another big assignment: Selling his vineyard estate in St. Helena, Calif. which has been listed for $20 million. ...
• Whiff of Good News on Long-Term Unemployment 3 September 2010, 11:43 am
  There was a slice of good news in today’s jobs report about the state of long-term unemployment in America. ...
• Economists React: Jobs Report ‘Stronger-Than-Expected, Yes, Strong, No’ 3 September 2010, 10:15 am
  Economists and others weigh in on the drop in total nonfarm payrolls and rise in the unemployment rate. ...
• Video: Job Losses Continue, but at Modest Pace 3 September 2010, 9:09 am
  The U.S. economy shed jobs for a third straight month, losing 54,000 non-farm jobs, but the losses were half as bad as expected. ...
• Moderate Lockhart Says Fed’s Next Move Isn’t Decided 3 September 2010, 9:00 am
  Atlanta Fed President Lockhart said the central bank is keeping its options open, and though the recovery has been disappointing, the economy isn’t falling off a cliff. ...
• Broader U-6 Jobless Rate up to 16.7%: Why the Jump? 3 September 2010, 8:41 am
  The U.S. jobless rate rose to 9.6% in August, but the government’s broader measure of unemployment rose even more to 16.7%, the highest rate since April. ...
• Relief in the Temp Sector 3 September 2010, 8:38 am
  A month ago, the Labor Department's payroll data offered a worrying sign for the economy: temp employment had dropped in July for the first time in 10 months, signaling potential trouble ahead for the labor market given the temp sector's traditional role as a leading indicator for overall jobs. With today's payroll data, that brief decline in temps looks like little more than a blip. ...
• Companies Already Lobbying Fed on Financial Rules 2 September 2010, 3:50 pm
  U.S. firms eager to shape newly-passed financial laws have wasted no time in lobbying the Fed and other agencies, according to new details released by the central bank. ...
• Fed’s Rosengren: More ‘Holistic’ Approach Needed for Foreclosures 2 September 2010, 10:25 am
  A more "holistic" approach to foreclosures and vacant properties, along with more flexible, community-focused state and federal assistance, could be needed if hard-hit communities are to get back on their feet, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren said. ...
• August Sales: How Retailers Fared 2 September 2010, 9:17 am
  Many large retailers reported their August sales numbers this week, with most of them coming out the morning of Thursday, Sept. 2. ...

Dealbreaker

• Write-Offs: 09.03.10 3 September 2010, 4:00 pm
  $$$ “Things To Do For Your Career This Labor Day Weekend” include “start a blog” and “become a human.” [FINS] $$$ Buy Jamie Dimon’s Chicago House For Just $6.95 Million (much less than the $13.5 million he originally wanted and just a smidge more than the $4.875 million he paid for it in 2004) [CBB] $$$ How Dick Fuld Prepared For His Big Day On Capitol Hill [NetNet] $$$“Bess: Finally, Wall Street can buy their clothes from someone who gets it. Some...
• Last Night At The US Open, A Heated Debate Broke Out Between Two Spectators Regarding The Root Causes Of The Housing Crisis 3 September 2010, 12:55 pm
  Yup, pretty sure that’s what happened here. Broheim thinks it was predatory lending, lady friend blames Alan Greenspan’s policies. What? You don’t think that’s what could’ve sparked the increasingly physical argument captured above? If you have an alternative theory or any intel on the situation, please do share it with the group at this time. ...
• Goldman Sachs Winding Down Principal Strategies Unit 3 September 2010, 12:30 pm
  The bank plans to hold off on announcing the wind-down while the 65 to 70 members of the global unit seek new jobs, the people said. Some traders and support staff may get roles within the firm. Earlier plans for most members of the Principal Strategies group, led by Hong Kong-based Morgan Sze, to leave together and form a hedge fund were shelved, people with knowledge of the matter said. Now Sze, 44, may set up a fund with a smaller team focused on Asia, they said. Employees in London and New Y...
• Russian Finance Minister: ‘People Should Smoke And Drink More’ 3 September 2010, 12:10 pm
  FYI, it’s the patriotic thing to do in Mother Russia. [Telegraph] ...
• Class Is In Session, With Professor Bartiromo 3 September 2010, 11:21 am
  Have you ever found yourself watching Closing Bell on CNBC and cursing the fact that it’s only two hours? Wishing you could get more of Maria Bartiomo’s market moving insight? If you’re a Stern student, now you can. The noted business is sharing her wisdom this semester, in a seminar called “Global Markets and Normative Frameworks.” From: Office of Records and Registration Date: September 3, 2010 10:26:31 AM EDT To: undisclosed-recipients:; Subject: NEW COURSE ANNOU...
• Tim Geithner Interrupts Tense Moments With (Involuntary?) Cursing, Giggles 3 September 2010, 10:47 am
  “Tim was organized and low-key, although given to occasional bursts of profanity and odd fits of giggling,” claims Steve Rattner in his new autobiography, which he also writes that JPMorgan vice-Chairman Jimmy Lee is something of a “crybaby” and describes Sheila Bair as a “small, trim woman about my age with brown hair, brown eyes, and an unsmiling, sour demeanor.” [NYP via DI] ...
• Former JPMorgan/Bear Stearns Analysts Start Firm That Outsources Shot Girls “Selling Flirtation” 3 September 2010, 9:15 am
  Ever find yourself at a bar like Turtle Bay in midtown, buying brightly colored shots that essentially have no alcohol in them and that most people past (the first semester of) their freshman year in college wouldn’t be caught dead drinking, and stop to ask your buddies a serious question which is, “You think our waitress wants a piece of this? She’s been throwing me vibes alllll night.”? You have Bryan Auld and Dominic D’Aleo to thank. The former JPM and Bear ana...
• Write-Offs: 09.02.10 2 September 2010, 4:30 pm
  $$$ Bernanke Defends Record On Lehman [WSJ] $$$ Obama’s Too Small Steps On The Economy [TDB] $$$ Paolo Pelligrini: The US Continues To Dig Its Hole Deeper [BI] $$$ Bedbugs Make Selves Home In Greenwich [GT] $$$ Russian Girls Invade Hamptons In Hopes Of Becoming Trophy Wives [TDB] ...
• Bonus Watch ‘10: Girding Of Loins At Morgan Stanley? 2 September 2010, 3:16 pm
  From the mail bag: “People quitting all over the place here. Lots of guys leaving sales/trading/research, mostly for hedge funds, probably because none of us are getting paid this year. Management setting expectations very low. ...
• Help Me To Understand: How Stalking Kenneth Starr’s Pole Dancing Wife Is Going To Clear Wesley Snipes’ Name On Tax Evasion 2 September 2010, 1:30 pm
  As is widely known, Wesley Snipes was found guilty of tax evasion a little while back, a charge which the actor believes to be bull shit. Because he would prefer not to go to prison for three years, Wes is attempting to appeal the verdict. Separately, Snipes was once a client of accused Ponzi schemer Kenneth Starr, who it came out several months ago had screwed a bunch of investors out of a bunch of money. These are two seemingly unrelated matters. And yet, today there is this: The pole-dance...

Freakonomics

• Freakonomics: The Movie Out Today on iTunes Only 3 September 2010, 2:04 pm
  The Freakonomics movie that premiered this spring at the Tribeca Film Festival is released to the public today -- but only on iTunes (and on some Video on Demand cable systems), nearly a month before it hits theaters. ...
• Gold's Magic Price 3 September 2010, 9:30 am
  We've had some old unwanted gold jewelry lying around for a long time. With gold at $1,237 per ounce, we figured it was time to sell it. We are a living movement up the supply curve of gold. ...
• How Panhandlers Spend Money 3 September 2010, 8:49 am
  A reporter for the Canadian newspaper The Star handed out five pre-paid credit cards to panhandlers, asked the panhandlers to return the card when finished, and tracked their purchases. ...
• Grumpy Old Men? 2 September 2010, 1:32 pm
  New research indicates that older people are "more likely to choose to read negative articles about those younger than themselves. They also tended to show less interest in articles about older people, whether negative or positive." ...
• Quotes Uncovered: Memorable Movie Lines 2 September 2010, 12:00 pm
  Two years ago, I asked for suggestions for the most memorable movie lines of recent years, to help with the next edition of The Yale Book of Quotations. Let me repeat my "bleg" from that time, and ask again for suggestions ...
• The Malaria Wars: Sonia Shah Answers Your Malaria Questions 2 September 2010, 9:30 am
  We recently solicited your questions for Sonia Shah, author of The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years. Her responses cover the effect of Rachel Carson and Silent Spring on malaria; bed nets and their alternatives; and the history of malaria in the U.S. Thanks to Sonia and everyone who participated. ...
• Drunk or Sober? Harder to Tell Than You Think 2 September 2010, 8:30 am
  A new literature review, summarized in the BPS Research Digest, concludes that "the vast majority of studies find that lay people, police officers and bartenders are in fact hopeless at distinguishing a drunk person from a sober one, at least at moderate levels of intoxication." ...
• When the Prediction Fits the Crime 1 September 2010, 2:00 pm
  It's not quite Minority Report, but the L.A. Times reports that the LAPD is working with UCLA mathematicians to pursue a sophisticated form of predictive policing. ...
• Is Your University Complying With the New Textbook Law? 1 September 2010, 12:00 pm
  University students are returning to campuses throughout the country. It is a migration that raises my spirits - seeing the energetic, eager faces tackling another course in contracts or intellectual property. But this year something is different. For the first time, a federal law has taken effect which requires "institution of higher education receiving Federal financial assistance" to provide students with information on textbook pricing. ...
• Cleanliness Is Next to ... Morality? 1 September 2010, 11:00 am
  New research finds that the cleaner you feel, the more judgmental you're apt to be. ...

New Scientist

• Eternal black holes are the ultimate cosmic safes 3 September 2010, 12:59 pm
  Normally, black holes evaporate over time, a process that probably releases information about their contents – but there may be a way to create black holes that stand the test of time...
• Edible crystals could store hydrogen fuel 3 September 2010, 11:56 am
  Molecular cages for storing hydrogen fuel have been made from cheap, natural ingredients – and they taste like crackers...
• Pakistan's flood weather eased Atlantic hurricanes 3 September 2010, 10:45 am
  The stalled weather pattern behind floods in Pakistan and a heatwave in Russia may have delayed the start of the Atlantic hurricane season...
• Trojan asteroids make planetary scientist lose sleep 3 September 2010, 10:33 am
  The sizes of asteroids near Jupiter spell trouble for the leading theory of how our solar system evolved...
• Computer games may be spawning reckless drivers 3 September 2010, 9:59 am
  Young drivers who played car-based computer games in their mid-teens are more likely to say they drive fast and dangerously in the real world...
• Humans with monkeypox virus cases rocket 3 September 2010, 9:54 am
  A 20-fold jump in the number of humans with a smallpox-related virus in Congo has provoked a call to assess its global threat...
• Why your brain flips over visual illusions 3 September 2010, 7:50 am
  What happens in your brain when you view illusions in which two separate images can be seen?...
• Nano-engineered cotton promises to wipe out water bugs 3 September 2010, 7:17 am
  Cotton impregnated with silver nanowires and carbon nanotubes could provide a cheap and effective method of purifying water in remote locations...
• Why the 'sixth extinction' will be unpredictable 3 September 2010, 6:19 am
  The fallout from the current mass extinction of life on Earth will be far from simple to predict...
• Second super-fast flip of Earth's poles found 3 September 2010, 6:04 am
  Theory says the Earth's magnetic field can't flip in just a few years, yet for the second time evidence has been found of it happening in the past...

LiveScience

• Monkeys Caught Monkeying Around During Full Moon 3 September 2010, 4:04 pm
  Moonlight drives the nighttime activity of owl monkeys....
• Top 10 Working Animals 3 September 2010, 2:14 pm
  Humans wouldn't get as much done without animals at our side....
• Dogs' Hip Dysplasia Risk Often Missed 3 September 2010, 2:00 pm
  Certified breeding dogs may be at risk for painful disease after all....
• Some Ancient Galaxies Had Wild Youth 3 September 2010, 1:15 pm
  New research pins down the epoch when galaxy clusters make the last of their stars, helping astronomers understand more about how galaxies form....
• Sizing Up Oil Drilling Rigs in the Gulf 3 September 2010, 12:50 pm
  Here's a look at oil and gas production in the Northern Gulf of Mexico...
• Drone Buzzes Hurricane Earl 3 September 2010, 12:43 pm
  Earl is winding down, NASA catches it in the act....
• Wanted: Flexible Astronaut, Works Well With Others 3 September 2010, 12:25 pm
  Mars500 project should reveal how six men physically and psychologically cope in long missions....
• Labor Day Is No Vacation for a Growing Number of Workers 3 September 2010, 10:34 am
  Hourly employees might not have that luxury of relaxing on labor day....
• American Made: Five Companies Bucking the Outsourcing Trend 3 September 2010, 10:30 am
  As Americans struggle to find jobs and a new “American Made” movement takes hold in Congress....
• Observatory Staff Aid in Military Helicopter Crash Rescue 3 September 2010, 10:04 am
  Staff at NSF’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, W.V. recently aided in the successful rescue of soldiers from a crashed military helicopter....

Digg Science