Week of December 15, 2008

No timetable for bailout set but Detroit automakers got public reassurance from

President Bush that short-term government help for the industry is in the works

and could come soon. "An abrupt bankruptcy for autos could be devastating for

the economy," Bush told reporters aboard Air Force One during an unannounced

trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. "We're now in the process of working with the

stakeholders on a way forward. We're not quite ready to announce that yet."

An impeachment committee began hearings

Tuesday on whether to remove Gov. Rod

Blagojevich from office as state legislators

continued to press him to resign to end the

unprecedented proceeding. The 21-member

committee was approved unanimously Monday by

the Illinois House of Representatives. It will meet

daily except for Christmas Eve, Christmas, New

Year's Eve and New Year's Day to consider

recommending that Blagojevich be removed from

office.

OPEC says its cutting 2.2 million barrels a day from

its output — the largest cut ever at one time — to

stem crude prices that have plummeted more than 70% from summer highs of

nearly $150 a barrel, but the production cut failed to stem the drop in oil prices,

with markets already pricing in a reduced flow of oil.

Rates on 30-year-fixed mortgages dropped this week to their lowest levels in at

least 37 years, as the Federal Reserve pledged to pour money into the mortgage

market to spur home sales and refinancings. Freddie Mac, the mortgage

company, reports that average rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dropped to

5.19% from the year's previous low of 5.47%, set last week.

The Bush administration comes to the rescue of the troubled U.S. auto industry

Friday, offering $17.4 billion in loans in exchange for concessions from

carmakers and their workers. "Allowing the auto companies to collapse is not a

responsible course of action," President George W. Bush said.

Skeletal remains found in the woods are the Florida 3-year-old who has been

missing since June, but they don't reveal any clues about how she was killed, a

county medical examiner said.. A utility worker stumbled upon the remains last

week, less than a half-mile from where the girl lived. DNA tests confirm that the

remains match Caylee Anthony's genetic profile, said the medical examiner, Dr.

Jan Garavaglia. Caylee's mother, 22-year-old Casey Anthony , was indicted in

Week of December 15, 2008

October on first-degree murder and other charges, even though no body was

found. She has insisted that she left the girl

with a baby sitter in June, but she didn't

report her missing until July.

Passing - W. Mark Felt, the former FBI

second-in-command who revealed himself

as "Deep Throat" 30 years after he tipped

off reporters to the Watergate scandal that

toppled a president, has died. He was 95.

A Continental Airlines jet taking off from

Denver veered off the runway into a ravine

Saturday night, forcing passengers to

evacuate on emergency slides as the plane burned, officials said. Two people

were critically injured and 36 others were taken to hospitals. Denver Fire

Department Division Chief Patrick Hynes said a fire associated with the accident

burned the entire right side of the plane. Melted plastic from the overhead

compartments dripped onto the seats down below, he said. It was unknown when

or how the fire started.

President-elect Barack Obama has increased his employment

goal with the nation's economic outlook worsening, seeking to

create or save 3 million jobs in the next two years instead of the

2.5 million he proposed last month. Obama set the more

ambitious target earlier this week after meeting with top

economic advisers who cautioned that the nation's

unemployment rate could exceed 9 percent given the current

pace of job losses, Obama transition officials say.

Sports - The Dallas Cowboys play their final game at Texas

Stadium , Alas, the Baltimore Ravens ruined the fun, wiping out

an early Dallas lead and turning back repeated comeback

attempts in the final minutes. Tony Romo threw two touchdown

passes in the final 3:50, but the Cowboys lost in their 313th and

final game here 33-24. "I know the stadium was pretty electric

out there and it was a great atmosphere for football," Romo said. "It's

disappointing that we weren't able to allow the fans to have a better evening."

About half the crowd of 63,800 stuck around for the postgame celebration

featuring around 100 former players and 12 members of the Ring of Honor. It

Week of December 15, 2008

started with a videotaped message from Garth Brooks, then Hank Williams Jr.

ran out onto the field.

Goodbye Ms. Amy - Less than two months after giving birth to son Archie, Amy

Poehler made a surprise return to SNL- the NBC comedy show where she has

been a regular for eight seasons. Last Saturday, she surprised viewers again by

telling them goodbye. "This is my last show," Poehler announced from her

"Weekend Update" anchor desk. "Being able to do over 140 shows with my

friends and my family has been a dream come true."

Changes for “American Idol” season 8 -

Thirty-six hopefuls, up from 24, will be

chosen for February's semifinals, and

wild-card picks — back for the first time

since Season 3 — will let the judges put

three singers into the top 12. Those

changes, along with the addition of fourth

judge, songwriter Kara DioGuardi and a

second week of the Hollywood round,

constitute Season 8 "tweaks" for Fox's

top-rated Idol , executive producer Ken

Warwick says. "They're not mega-

changes. They are just little things to

keep the whole format fresh and

interesting."

A spokeswoman says Madonna has settled with ex-husband Guy Ritchie for at

least 50 million pounds ($76 million). The figure includes the value of the couple's

country home Ashcombe in western England. While the financial component of

the settlement has been worked out, custodial arrangements for the couple's

children have yet to be finalized. (later this week - both said this was an error but

that a settlement was reached by both parties. We’ll keep it in for posterity).

New scent for … Burger King? Just in time for the festive season, the company

has released its very own men's body spray, Flame. Not recommended for

vegetarians, Flame is being promoted as "the scent of seduction with a hint of

flame-broilled meat". While the smell itself might not inspire confidence, the price

will. Flame is on sale for the credit crunch-busting sum of just $3.99, suggesting

the Burger King promotions department has realised their contribution to the

fragrance market might work best as a novelty stocking-filler. Flame, a body

spray for men, was launched this week online and in a selection of US stores.

Week of December 15, 2008

Entertainment news - Sam Bottoms, who had small but memorable roles in the

1970s classics "Apocalypse Now" and "The Last Picture Show," has died. He

was 53.

MTV to add 16 reality shows as the channel’s recent ratings declines include a

23% fourth-quarter drop in its core demo of 12- to 34-year-olds. So MTV is

embarking on a major programming overhaul, with 16 new unscripted series over

the next 4½ months. The series come from high-profile producers including Sean

Combs, Matt Stone & Trey Parker, Donald Trump and Nick Lachey. And they

represent a major thematic shift for the channel -- more toward the meta-scripted

reality of MTV's "The Hills," one of the cabler's few success stories these days.

While MTV pioneered reality series with 1992's "The Real World," that genre has

become ubiquitous, so the network is offering a slate that avoids the backbiting

and bitchery of most nonfiction fare.

Los Angeles police are investigating a

burglary at Paris Hilton's home they say left

her bedroom ransacked and about $2 million

in jewelry missing.Los Angeles police Officer

Julianne Sohn said the break-in occurred at

Hilton's home in the Sherman Oaks area of

Los Angeles. Sohn says detectives report

that a man wearing a hooded sweat shirt and

gloves broke in through the home's front

door and ransacked Hilton's bedroom. Hilton

was not at home at the time. She had been

photographed the previous night at several

LA nightspots.

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