31 - Saturday

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12/31/2005 - Saturday

CLIPPINGS is also online here - where you can track down new and old postings and stories


PLAINFIELD_________________________________________________________________________________

PLAINFIELD TODAY: "The great Swearing-In Mystery answered"
................. Check the blog posting above for the Courier News' correction
............ And a 'Happy New Year' greeting is here . . .

Mayor Robinson-Briggs' Inaugural [last item]: "Mayor schedules 'Unity Ball' for Feb. 4"
School Board - Letter to Editor, Courier: Rick Taylor: "Education board needs revamp"
Courier News has two Plainfield shots among their 'Photos of the Year':
............ Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church's new organ is here
............ YWCA's restored theater is here


TRI-COUNTY AREA___________________________________________________________________________

Bedminster: "Fears of rowdy crowds shift reorg site after flier urges protests"
Bound Brook: "Council's GOP majority could replace several borough appointees"


NEW JERSEY________________________________________________________________________________

Corzine: "Fort Monmouth planning delay prompts concerns; Corzine wants say"

Blogger of Judges and Justice: "Mystery blogger quits Newark's U.S. Attorney's Office"
..................... Wonkette has some stuff about blogger David Lat here
Harvey - Editorial, Courier: "Harvey going out in usual style"
State Slogan: "State slogan contest extended an extra week"
Water Supplies: "Water experts warn Jersey will run dry without planning"


NATION / WORLD____________________________________________________________________________

Bush - Findlaw: John Dean: "Bush as the new Nixon: Both wiretapped illegally, and impeachably"
.......... - Rolling Stone: "The Magical Victory Tour"

Scandal Central:
.......... - Abramoff Affair: "Lobbyist Is Given Deadline to Take Deal or Go to Trial"
.......... - Domestic spying:
.................... - Ledger and Courier: "Feds probing who told media of secret spying"
.................... - LA Times: "Justice Dept. opens inquiry into who leaked spying story to NY Times"
.................... - Guardian-UK: "NSA bugged website visitors despite ban on doing so"

USA Patriot Act: "Short Patriot Act renewal gets grudging OK from Bush"


OF INTEREST________________________________________________________________________________

Crime: "New York City: Crime falls across New York City for 17th consecutive year"
...................... An excellent chart detailing homicide stats is here.
Pensions: "How bedrock promises of security have fractured across America"
Time: The 'Leap' Second: "Earth's slowing rotation requires a clock change"


DISASTERS AND AID OPPORTUNITIES_________________________________________________________

Kashmir: "Aid agencies predicted winter disaster - now it is reality for people of Kashmir"

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30 - Friday

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Will give a catch-up when my system is restored............;-(
--Dan

12/30/2005 - Friday

CLIPPINGS is also online here - where you can track down new and old postings and stories


PLAINFIELD_________________________________________________________________________________

PLAINFIELD TODAY: "Sharon Robinson-Briggs will become first woman mayor on Sunday"

Plain Talker: "The Year in Review"
.............. - "To-Do List: Appoint Television Board"
Kwanzaa [last item]: "Kwanzaa celebration at Washington School on Saturday"
Mayor's Inaugural Ball [next to last item]: "New mayor schedules 'Unity Ball' for Feb. 4"
Larry Leverett Resigns from Greenwich [CT] Schools: "Superintendent resigns in third year"

....... x----------------------------------------x
....... |........................................|
....... |.......Swearing-In Mystery:.............|
....... |......Rotunda or Courthouse?............|
....... |......Will advise as soon as............|
....... |.........It's sorted out................|
....... |........................................|
....... x----------------------------------------x


TRI-COUNTY AREA___________________________________________________________________________

Cranford: "Opening delayed for low bridge over the Rahway River"
Piscataway: "Son wins new trial in mom's fatal stabbing at West 4th Street home"
South Plainfield - Editorial, Courier: "South Plainfield dispute not worth hiding"


NEW JERSEY________________________________________________________________________________

Body Parts Thefts: "For many, the horror of 'stolen parts in me'"
Demographics dooming GOP?: "Influx of New Yorkers eroding some traditional GOP bastions"
Education - Part 6 of 8 - Courier: "Education a victim of N.J. fiscal woes"
Identity Theft: "N.J. set to crack down on identity theft cases"
...............This has the potential of being a really big deal. As the story says, "a new state law
................that takes effect Sunday aims to crack down on such crimes by allowing residents
................to freeze access to personal credit reports."
Police Procedures: "Homicide suspect interviews must be recorded in 2006"
SPCA: "NJSPCA president resigns, says 'police culture' shifts focus from animal-abuse probes"
UMDNJ - Ledger: "UMDNJ cedes power to U.S. monitor in unique deal"
......................... - Tom Moran: "For Petillo, lost clout and grim prospects"
......................... - "Task ahead for monitor: Probing all of school's nooks"
.............. - Courier: "Trustees agree to UMDNJ monitor"
.............. - NY Times: "U.S. to Monitor Medical School in New Jersey"


NATION / WORLD____________________________________________________________________________

Bush - Ledger: John Farmer: "The year's top story: Bush's tumble"

Scandal Central:
.......... - Abramoff - Bloomberg News: "Lobbyist Abramoff's 'Equal Money' Went Mostly to Republicans"
.......... - Domestic spying:
.................... - Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Secret court modified wiretap requests, which may have led Bush to bypass panel"
.................... - Washington Post: "US denies targeting Muslims, though mosques monitored for radiation"
.......... - Purchasing Ripoffs: "Marine Corps pays $100K for retooled jeep; street price $7500"
.......... - 'Renditions', Independent-UK: "Lawyer says rendition 'part of a larger pattern'"

Bush Spokesman Scott McClellan: "Power's Wear and Tear Hit Bush's Spokesman"
............... - Original from le Figaro en français
.......... - Profile, Washington Post: "Unanswer Man: Scott McClellan, the President's Spokesman"
CIA: "Covert CIA Program Withstands New Furor, and Grows"
Homeland Security: "Audit points to FEMA, cites mismanagement among problems"
.......... - The Inspector General's full report is here [PDF file]
Journalism: "The Freest Press Money Can Buy?: Rice unveils foreign journalists exchange program"
.......... - Transcript of Secretary Rice's remarks is here
Small Business Administration: "50 of 59 Sept. 11 loan recipients audited weren't hurt by attacks"
Voting Rights Act of 1965: "DOJ lawsuit alleges discrimination against whites in Mississippi"


OF INTEREST________________________________________________________________________________

Gift Cards: "Trade you a J. Crew for latte at Starbucks; sites help unload unwanted gift cards"
Real Estate:
.......... - Affordability: "Twenty years later, buying a house is less of a bite in much of country"
............... - a map of US, with a NY Metro closeup, showing affordability is here
.......... - Minorities: "The Role Of Immigration And Diversity In Housing Markets"
.......... - Northern NJ Real Estate: "A Blog dedicated to . . . guess what?"
.......... - Sales:
............... - Stats: "Existing home sales slow; inventory highest since '86"
............... - Techniques: "To Sell a Home, Let Them Sleep On It"


DISASTERS AND AID OPPORTUNITIES_________________________________________________________

Katrina - The Levees: "Documents show Corps of Engineers never pursued design doubts"
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29 - Thursday

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12/29/2005 - Thursday

CLIPPINGS is also online here - where you can track down new and old postings and stories


PLAINFIELD_________________________________________________________________________________

PLAINFIELD TODAY:

.........."Sharon Robinson-Briggs will become first woman mayor on Sunday"

No Plainfield crime, politics, school, business or other local news in papers today.


TRI-COUNTY AREA___________________________________________________________________________

South Plainfield: "Borough officials reverse course on suit, want settlement details made public"

NEW JERSEY________________________________________________________________________________

Corzine - OpEd, Ledger: "His top priorities: Ethics, finances; a checklist for assessing the Gov"
.................... - Supreme Court: "A critical choice for Corzine: Naming chief justice"
......................... - Background: "NJ sets precedent for political balance in its Supreme Court"
Body Parts: "Routine call ignited probe; Checking on donor, doctor grew worried"
'Cop2Cop' Program: "Helping the police purge their demons"
East Orange: "Women to be majority on 10-member city council"
.......... - "Cop facing brutality lawsuits back on force; City waited too long to discipline him"
Edison - Editorial, Ledger: "Lame ducks and bare knuckles: Choi takes one on the chin"
............ ". . . Middlesex County is Hudson County with lawns . . ."
Hiring Freeze: "State budget shortfall brings hiring freeze"
Housing - Part 5 of 8, Courier: "Affordable housing? Not in New Jersey"
Passaic County: "Passaic County to stop holding immigrant detainees at jail"
Property Taxes for a Church: "Christ Church gets only a 15% tax break"
Schools Construction Corp.: "Budget boosts oversight; New hires banned until Corzine review"
State Slogan: Kathleen O'Brien: "New Jersey, the lousy slogan state"
Taxes - OpEd, Ledger: "The least-tough choice for most is to tap the rich"


NATION / WORLD____________________________________________________________________________

Bush:
.......... - Analysis, Washington Post: "Bush Team Rethinks Its Plan for Recovery"

Scandal Central:
.......... - Abramoff Affair: "Lobbyist's troubles: Biggest Congressional corruption scandal in decades?"
.......... - Domestic spying:
.................... - Ledger: "Spy agency in trouble again -- now over Web 'cookies'"
.................... - Christian Science Monitor: "Half of Americans say Bush has right to OK secret program"
.................... - LA Times: "Lawyers question use of US spy program in getting evidence against their clients"
.......... - Paid-for 'News': "Pentagon Calls Its Pro-U.S. Websites Legal"

Army Record-keeping: "Army faulted for sloppiness on inventory"
FEMA: "Internal Audit Views FEMA as Albatross for Homeland Security"
Iraq - OpEd, Washington Post: Dale Andrade: "Three Lessons From Vietnam"
Military Recruiting: "School boards starting to give parents more detailed opt-out information"
Padilla: "US defends conduct in Padilla case; Supreme Court asked to overrule 4th Circuit"
Supreme Court Nominee: "Alito urged U.S. to back off plea in Black Panther case"


OF INTEREST________________________________________________________________________________

Advertising: "Republican Strategist Gets Heat for Taking Mexico as Client"
Catholicism: "Limbo, an Afterlife Tradition, May Be Doomed by the Vatican"
............ It may be out of fashion, and moderns may snicker, but no one in Monsignor's
............ catechism class [Baltimore catechism, I'll have you know!] at St. John Bosco
............ in Sheridan, NY, ever, ever snickered -- about limbo, purgatory, or plenary
............ indulgences. O mores! O tempores!
Conservative Christians: "New Cultural Approach: Reviews, Not Protests"
Evolution, the Board Game?: "Helping Out Darwin's Cause With a Little Pointed Humor"
Gullah: "Gospel According to Gullah; slaves' descendants translate Bible into ancestral language"
Housing: "'Supportive housing' has both a profit and a social motive"
Kwanzaa: "Karenga extols 'African holiday that celebrates family'"
Music: "The Net Is a Boon for Indie Labels; 'Fans Are Dictating'"


DISASTERS AND AID OPPORTUNITIES_________________________________________________________

Katrina - Rebuilding: "Wrestling With Memories Amid Mounds of Trash"
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28 - Wednesday

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12/28/2005 - Wednesday

CLIPPINGS is also online here - where you can track down new and old postings and stories


PLAINFIELD_________________________________________________________________________________

PLAINFIELD TODAY:








.......... - "Kwanzaa Celebration hosted by Division of Recreation"

No Plainfield crime, politics, school, business or other local news in papers today.


TRI-COUNTY AREA___________________________________________________________________________

Edison: "On the way out, Spadoro vetoes paid benefits for successor Choi"
............ In the Ledger's print edition, the story details a veto by Spadoro to an ordinance giving
............ Choi a paid benefit package. Spadoro has never accepted paid benefits, and says he
............ believes elected officials should pay their own way.
South Plainfield: "Reversing course, Democrats want to make bias case settlement public"


NEW JERSEY________________________________________________________________________________

Railway Transfer Stations: "Injunction halts waste site proposed in the Pinelands"
........... This Federal case is important because railroads argue they are exempt from state laws
UMDNJ - Ledger: "UMDNJ set to give feds full control of finances"
.......... - Courier: "Feds say UMDNJ trashing evidence"
Property Taxes: "Property tax squeeze yields few answers, much agonizing"
Schools Construction Corp.: "Apartments for one-time school site SCC spent $9M to assemble"


NATION / WORLD____________________________________________________________________________

Scandal Central:
.......... - Domestic spying:
.................... - NBC/San Diego: "ACLU investigates spying on San Diego group"
.................... - Truthout: "NSA Spied on UN Diplomats in Push for Invasion of Iraq"
.................... - Washington Post: "Scholar stands by his writings on torture, domestic eavesdropping"
.......... - 'Rendition': "Use of cell phones by CIA during operation let Italian police identify them"
................. If the whole affair weren't so wicked it would be laughable. You must read how
................. amateurish these CIA 'pros' were. Then pray.
.................. - Guardian, UK: "US embassy near admitting Syria rendition flight, contradicting the ambassador"
.................. - Independent, UK: "Bush's envoy sparks another diplomatic incident over war claims"
.................. - Ledger: "CIA Probes Renditions of Terror Suspects"

Economy: "Cheery economic news rings hollow for many"
Impeachment Talk:
.......... - The Nation: "The I-Word is Gaining Ground"
.................... - Jonathan Schell: "The Hidden State Steps Forward"
.......... - The Progressive: "Impeachment Buzz"


OF INTEREST________________________________________________________________________________

Gun Violence: "Toronto, one nof North America's safest cities, has record surge of gun violence"
'Hedcuts' Online Exhibit: "Picturing Business in America"
............ This online exhibit by the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery goes into the history
............ and process of creating those fascinating little portraits used by the Wall Street Journal
............ to illustrate their stories. Check it out!

Labor's Inflatable Rat: "Labor's huge rubber rat, caught in a legal maze: free speech or picketing?"
Police Recruits: "Police Forces, Their Ranks Thin, Offer Bonuses, Bounties and More"
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: "As claims rise, VA takes stock; many fear service cuts"


DISASTERS AND AID OPPORTUNITIES_________________________________________________________

Katrina - Rebuilding: "Marshall Plan needed for New Orleans; US has history of help on huge scale"

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27 - Tuesday

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12/27/2005 - Tuesday

CLIPPINGS is also online here - where you can track down new and old postings and stories


PLAINFIELD_________________________________________________________________________________

PLAINFIELD TODAY:















"PCTV-74's 'Monsterpiece Theatre' runs 1960 classic 'Santa Claus'"

Plain Talker: "Extreme Fuel Efficiency: Paperwork gaffe tables ordinance"
Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church: Multimedia presentation on new organ is here


NEW JERSEY________________________________________________________________________________

Corzine - and Governor's salary: "This job so great they do it for free; Corzine the latest to forgo salary"

Electoral Districts - Editorial, Ledger: "Draw the line on political mapmaking"
............ The print edition has a map of the 7th Congressional District [Mike Ferguson, R]. That little
............ shoe-shaped peninsula completely surrounded by the 'red' district and excluded from it? Plainfield.
Pay-to-Play - Gannett, 2 of 8 parts: "Curbs inch forward; State allows stronger local laws to stand"

Schools Construction Corp.: "Embarrassed by publicity, grants new lease to 'Calamari King'"

State Slogan: "New Jersey Sifts the Ways to Put Its Best Motto Forward"
UMDNJ: "Letter from prosecutor details UMDNJ bid to foil probe"

NATION / WORLD____________________________________________________________________________

2006 Elections - Dems - Boston Globe: "Dems to woo voters on wages; Frozen minimum pay seen as spur"

Scandal Central:
.......... - Domestic spying:
.................... - Boston Globe: "UMass student made up US surveillance story about Mao's 'Little Red Book'"

Bush:
.......... - Blog, Washington Post: Howard Kurtz: "Bush personally presses Post, Times editors not to print some stories"
.......... - OpEd, Boston Globe: James Carroll: "Staying the course"
.......... - Analysis, AP: "Bush Hoping to Win More Battles in 2006"
.......... - Analysis, Miami Herald: "Despite White House claims about war powers, Congress may well settle the issue"
.......... - OpEd, Truthout: Marjorie Cohn: "Big Brother Bush Is Listening"
.......... - OpEd, Chicago Tribune: Steve Chapman: "Beyond the imperial presidency"
.................... - If asked to register, there is a hassle-free version here

Citizenship: "Debate builds on citizenship for babies of illegals"
............ At issue: the 14th Amendent to the Constitution, adopted in 1868. The language in Section 1?
............ "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,
............ are citizens of the United States."
Iraq - Analysis, Asia Times: Pepe Escobar: "Iraq: The ultimate quagmire"
.......... - The Casualties, NY Times: "A Veteran's Iraq Message Upsets Army Recruiters"
Voting Machines - NY Times: "Citing problems, California demands software repairs for voting machines"


OF INTEREST________________________________________________________________________________

Black Politicians - WNYC: Brian Lehrer: "Sharpe James, Meet Barack Obama"
............ The show airs at 10 am this morning [93.9 FM], and is then archived on the website.
............ Here is the blurb from WNYC's website: 'For decades, black politicians like Newark’s
............ Sharpe James came out of the civil rights movement and embraced big-government
............ solutions to social ills. But members of the new generation of African-American leaders
............ have more varied biographies and political views.'

Immigration: Asylum Seekers: "Courts Criticize Judges' Handling of Asylum Cases"
Ghana Welcomes, if Awkwardly: "Ghana's Uneasy Embrace of Slavery's Diaspora"
Kwanzaa: "Kwanzaa grows as U.S. tradition"


DISASTERS AND AID OPPORTUNITIES_________________________________________________________

Katrina - Rebuilding: "With Coastline in Ruins, Cajuns Face Prospect of Uprooted Towns"
Mississippi - Rebuilding: "On Gulf Coast, Cleanup Differs Town to Town"
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26 - Monday

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12/26/2005 - Monday: Kwanzaa begins

CLIPPINGS is also online here - where you can track down new and old postings and stories


PLAINFIELD_________________________________________________________________________________

PLAINFIELD TODAY: "Season's Greetings from Mayor McWilliams and Mayor-elect Robinson-Briggs"

..................... * * * THIS IS THE BIG UEZ STORY WE'VE WAITED FOR * * *
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Business: "UEZ-funded ad campaign helps promote Plainfield home improvement retailers"
.................... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Crime: "Man, 19, stabbed; Plainfield police arrest 3"
Plainfield Schools - Editorial, Courier: "Plainfield budget error signals more deficiencies"
.......... - PHS: "Ex-addict is PHS mentor but loses school job; many ask for pardon"
Letter to Editor, Courier: Rasheed Abdul-Haqq: "Public safety head is unnecessary"


NEW JERSEY________________________________________________________________________________


Newark: "Housing agency full of new hires following layoffs"


NATION / WORLD____________________________________________________________________________

2006:
.......... - Dems: "Will the Dems Step Up in the New Year? Maybe."

Scandal Central:
.......... - Domestic spying:
.................... - OpEd, Washington Post: Tom Dascle: "Power We Didn't Grant"

Bush - Ledger:
.......... - BBC: "Bush bubble burst by troubled 2005"
Congress - NY Times: A graphic showing Republican disagreements in Congress is here
Iraq War - LA Times: "Iraq contingent may grow if attacks persist, Joint Chiefs chair says"
NSA: "Some fear eavesdropping could undermine work of spy agency"
.................... - NY Times: "The Agency That Could Be Big Brother"
Rice: "She's distant but loyal to him, is eyed as his successor"


OF INTEREST________________________________________________________________________________

Academic Freedom: "Professors' Politics Draw Lawmakers Into the Fray"
............ Here's one to watch. Though David Horowitz's 'Academic Bill of Rights' sounds chilling,
............ there is no doubt some of the leftish professors are living in a very ivory--and vulnerable--tower
Department Stores: "Hometown names become ghosts in the department store"
............ Like Pac-man, the Macy's name devours everything in its path. If people are Lego blocks,
............ why should department store personalities be any different?
Gangs: "Intervention offers hope where police fail"
Health: "Official predicts government will create an HIV vaccine"
Public Employee pensions: "Transit Strike Reflects Nationwide Pension Woes, Issues"
Real Estate: "Take It From Japan: Real Estate Bubbles Hurt"


DISASTERS AND AID OPPORTUNITIES_________________________________________________________

Katrina - Rebuilding: "Wishes for renewal echo in New Orleans"
Mississippi - Rebuilding: "On Gulf Coast, big difference between Corps and private cleanups"
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25 - Sunday

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M E R R Y.. C H R I S T M A S .... .... F E L I Z .. N A V I D A D
H A P P Y... C H A N N U K A H ........ C E L E B R A T E .. K W A N Z A A

12/25/2005 - Sunday: Christmas, Kwanzaa begins, Channukah begins at sundown

CLIPPINGS is also online here - where you can track down new and old postings and stories


PLAINFIELD_________________________________________________________________________________

PLAINFIELD TODAY: "Season's Greetings from Mayor McWilliams and Mayor-elect Robinson-Briggs"

Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church: "New pipe organ just about ready for its solo"


TRI-COUNTY AREA___________________________________________________________________________

Linden: "Recycling campaign cuts rubbish, but city still liable to surcharge at County incinerator"
Perth Amboy: "$65M downtown residential/retail/parking project gets under way at long last"
Scotch Plains: "Union County gives farm new lease on life for learning"
............So with an educational farm set for Scotch Plains, what happens to the proposal for
............the same at the Peterson Farm on Cushing Road? Stay tuned.


NEW JERSEY________________________________________________________________________________

Corzine: "The Keane-Byrne Dialog: A blueprint for Corzine"
For political junkies - The Auditor: "Sunday, December 25, 2005"
2006 - 1 of 8 - Courier: "Residents uncertain about state's future"
Codey: "Accidental governor looks back"
Kwanzaa: "Newark will host Kwanzaa creator Maulana Ron Karenga"
Newark - OpEd, Ledger: Joan Whitlow: "Embedded: My year of keeping an eye on Newark's City Hall"
Newark Boys and Girls Clubs: "Felix Rouse and Shavar Jeffries put their Ivy League degrees to work for club"
State Slogan - Editorial, Courier: "One slogan idea hits the mark"
UMDNJ: "As scandal rages, the healing and learning go on"


NATION / WORLD____________________________________________________________________________

Bush - OpEd, Boston Globe: Ellen Goodman: "Bush's false choices"

Scandal Central:
.......... - Abramoff Affair: "The 'dirty little secret' of OpEd articles: Some were secretly paid for"
.......... - Domestic spying - NY Times: "Legal Precent: Little Help From Justices on Spy Program"
.............................. - "Congress: Among Those Told of Program, Few Objected"
Paid-for 'news' placement: "Young firm, the Lincoln Group, finds a bonanza in Middle East"


OF INTEREST________________________________________________________________________________

Chanukah: "The old and new Chanukah: Costlier gifts, latkes and gelt"
............ BTW, if you have noticed I have spelled the word variously, check out
............ the following -- "The Spellings of Chanukah" -- it seems no spelling is 'incorrect.' --Dan
Cheney's travel style, and gadget fetish: "Cheney Flies in Comfort"
Christmas Merchandise: "Santa's Chinese elves"
............ In which we learn that seven of the White House's 2003 artificial Christmas trees were
............made in China, and China's atheist leadership is pleased to allow the season in
............China to promote consumer spending...
Exhibit: Lichtenstein at Montclair: "Pop Artist's Fascination With the First Americans"
Geek Patrol: "Podcasting: Tutorial from Webmonkey"
Party Sales: "These are not your mother's Tupperware parties"
Pharma Humor: "Panexa. Ask your doctor for a reason to take it."
Real Estate: "House Prices: The State of the Bubble"
.......... - "New-Home Sales Dropped Last Month"
.......... - Third Homes?: "The Third Home Comes Within Reach"
Wine Snobbery: "Message in a Bottle: Blame it on the Romans"
Wineries of NJ: "Ringoes and Beyond: Wineries of New Jersey"
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