Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service articles from December 2003, page 9

Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service archives from December 2003

`Ball coach' prepared rookie.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: David Haugh CHICAGO _ To hear Rex Grossman tell it, the only person more responsible than Washington Redskins coach Steve Spurrier for getting Grossman to the NFL might be his mom. She's the one who made Grossman visit the...

`Elephant' has heavy foot of tension.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Roger Moore The best reason to use long, unedited takes in a movie is to build suspense. We've been conditioned, as viewers, to expect the cuts _ the close-ups, changes in points of view, lingering shots of some person,...

Shiite politician killed in wave of attacks by Iraqis.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Stephen Franklin BAGHDAD, Iraq _ In Baghdad's Amil neighborhood, Muhannad al-Hakim was everyone's friend. He found gasoline for those who couldn't _ a common woe nowadays _ and food or money for the needy _ a deepening problem....

Zhamnov must tolerate contact.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Bob Foltman OTTAWA _ Chicago Blackhawks captain Alex Zhamnov practiced with his teammates for a second day Wednesday, a step up in his rehabilitation from October back surgery. Zhamnov did not make the trip for Thursday's...

United asks board for $1.6 billion loan guarantee.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Melissa Allison CHICAGO _ United Airlines is again asking for a massive loan guarantee, a year after the government told the carrier its business plan was too weak to sign off on. Approval would help clear the way for the...

Hey, NFL, it's time to lighten up on the celebratory criticism.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Don Pierson CHICAGO _ The NFL fined Joe Horn as expected. It's a mistake. What the NFL should do about the New Orleans Saints' receiver is nothing. Fining him is as unnecessary as his cell phone stunt that got him fined. Even...

NFL capsules and picks from Terry Bannon.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Terry Bannon Falcons (3-11) at Bucs (7-7) Time: 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Line: Bucs by 7{. Last meeting: Bucs won, 31-10, at Atlanta on Sept. 21, 2003. Key stat: Bucs have won six straight vs. Falcons. Players...

NBC extends Notre Dame football contract.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Avani Patel CHICAGO _ Notre Dame seems likely to stay the course as a football independent for the foreseeable future with Thursday's announcement that its television contract with NBC has been extended an additional five years....

White Sox appear to be in doom mode.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Rick Morrissey CHICAGO _ There is a forlornness to the Chicago White Sox, and although some people believe it has to do with being No. 2 in town, I believe it's due to a strand of DNA that carries the genetic message, "We are,...

Bush handed setbacks in two terror rulings.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Lisa Anderson NEW YORK _ A federal appeals court ruled here Thursday that the president does not have the power to detain a U.S. citizen seized on American soil as an enemy combatant. The decision represents a major legal...

Mourning set to receive kidney from cousin.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Nancy McVicar FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning is scheduled to get a new kidney on Friday, not from one of the 200 or so fans or strangers who offered him one of theirs, but from a cousin who is a...

Other kidney patients confident in Mourning's recovery.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Harvey Fialkov FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ It's a question that none of us could truly answer until the situation presented itself. Would you give up a kidney or any vital organ to save the life of a loved one? Obviously, the...

Leading up governor's corruption charges.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Rick Pearson CHICAGO _ Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan returned to the State Capitol a few weeks ago for the unveiling of his official portrait and was hailed as a visionary and a man of his word by politicians in both parties...

A potpourri of Pro Bowlers, including many first-timers.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Don Pierson CHICAGO _ More than a third of this year's Pro Bowl players (31-of-84) were selected for the first time, an indication that reputation is playing less of a role. Team success also seemed less of a factor in the...

Quiet Spinks aims high as new welterweight champ chases paydays.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Michael Hirsley CHICAGO _ Welterweight champion Cory Spinks, who beat loudmouthed, wild-punching, cigarette-smoking, beer-drinking Ricardo Mayorga on Saturday and thereby now holds all three major title belts in his weight class,...

Sharon vows Israel will create its own border.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Joel Greenberg JERUSALEM _ Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in a major policy speech Thursday that Israel will move some Jewish settlements and pull back troops to new lines in the West Bank and Gaza Strip if there is no progress...

Prosecutors file charges against Michael Jackson.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Michael Martinez SANTA MARIA, Calif._Pop singer Michael Jackson was officially charged Thursday with molesting a cancer-stricken boy at his Neverland Ranch on seven occasions earlier this year and with administering alcohol to...

Vision of Beiderbecke melodically adapted.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Jim Abbott It's fair to call Geoff Muldaur a folkie, which is the right category for a guy who started with jug bands in the 1960s and was later a neighbor of Bob Dylan and the Band in the heyday of Woodstock, N.Y. But...

Ramage hoping to attend Magnuson's funeral.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Bob Foltman OTTAWA _ Rob Ramage, the driver of the car in the crash outside Toronto that killed former Blackhawk Keith Magnuson on Monday, hopes to attend Saturday's memorial service in Lake Forest, according to published reports...

ABC gets Doc Rivers on the rebound.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Ed Sherman CHICAGO _ Where would suddenly out-of-work coaches find themselves if not for television? The medium is the fluffy landing pillow for coaches who learn their services no longer are required. Glenn "Doc" Rivers is...

Dolphins' comments tell the whole story.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Dave Hyde FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Why they are where they are facing what they are (in their own words): "What can Trent Green do that Jay can't? He's not as good an athlete. Jay will make every throw. (Green) played this...

Damage control very difficult if A-Rod trade falls apart.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Phil Rogers CHICAGO _ Mulligan, anyone? Just because the Alex Rodriguez-Manny Ramirez swap-a-rama didn't come off before Thursday's deadline, don't believe it's really dead. No, this thing is baseball's version of the...

Leighton can't stem Senators' onslaught.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Bob Foltman OTTAWA _ Chicago Blackhawks coach Brian Sutter said Thursday morning that the Ottawa Senators were the kind of team that the Hawks hope to have in a couple of seasons. It was an interesting comment considering the...

Red Sox, Rangers playing waiting game.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Teddy Greenstein CHICAGO _ Jose Valentin's agent resisted the urge to call the White Sox Thursday afternoon to inquire about the fate of his client, which he thought might be tied to the Alex Rodriguez-for-Manny Ramirez deal. ...

Ryan spent lavishly, prosecutor alleges.(Chicago Tribune)
December 18, 2003... Byline: Ray Gibson and Rick Pearson For decades, Illinois politicians have relied upon their campaign war chests as personal piggy banks, paying for cars, gifts, expensive meals, sports tickets and country club dues to further their...

With this little guide, even the most `inept man' can surprise his lady love.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Neil White Everyone has seen them during the holiday season. After all, they're easy to spot. We're referring, of course, to men who wander aimlessly through the aisles of department stores, looking at everything yet looking...

Calif. woman says 22-pound, 8-ounce lunker bass not a fish tale.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Jack Horan A California woman is shaking up the bass-fishing community by seeking its most venerable, sought-after record with a 22-pound, 8-ounce largemouth bass she said she caught_and released. Leaha Trew, 45, of Santa...

Disabled hunters savor experience of Kansas hunt.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Michael Pearce PAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. _Blake Sherrod of Centre, Ala., and Justin Loader of Tacoma, Wash., were the stars of a recent hunt for critically ill and extremely disabled young people. Tim Schaller, a local business...

Reviews of recent contemporary Christian CDs.
December 17, 2003... Plus One, "Exodus" (inpop) _ 3 { stars Plus One is the former boy band that sold more than a million copies of its first album, "The Promise." That was in 2000, and the band had five members. Last year, two left, one to pursue other...

Make holiday travel by car, plane easier on your pets.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Dr. Michael Dill The holidays are traditionally a busy time of year for traveling. People go great distances to be with family and friends during this joyous season. Oftentimes, pets make these journeys with their owners. To ease...

Editorials on Saddam Hussein's capture.
December 17, 2003... The following editorial appeared in the Dallas Morning News on Wednesday, Dec. 17: AND A FOOL, TOO! HUSSEIN'S VANITY ULTIMATELY DID HIM IN Besides being a mass murderer and a despot, Saddam Hussein is a gigantic fool. Even as...

The third time can be a charmer, but more often it's just a bomb.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: T.D. Mobley-Martinez In the beginning, anyway, in those high-level Hollywood pitch meetings, it's got to sound like a fabulous idea. A TRILOGY. Three times the story. Three times the audience. Three times the money. ...

Mourning scheduled for kidney transplant on Friday.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Israel Gutierrez MIAMI _ Former Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning is scheduled to undergo kidney transplant surgery Friday in New York, according to two sources. Mourning announced his retirement from basketball on Nov. 24...

U.S., 4 Central American countries reach agreement on trade pact.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Jane Bussey MIAMI _ The United States and four Central American countries reached agreement Wednesday on a free trade pact that broadens and deepens existing trade ties with a region still mired in poverty and slow growth. ...

Working toward a goal.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Jason Cole MIAMI _ An intriguing question for some NFL head-coaching candidates to consider: Who would you rather work with, Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick or Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga? As tantalizing as Vick...

People in the news.
December 17, 2003... NICOLE GETS WARM WELCOME HOME Nicole Kidman thrilled local fans at the Australian premiere of her film "Cold Mountain" Wednesday, shaking hands and signing autographs for some who had waited hours for her arrival. With her trademark...

City Council pulls plug on electric fire prevention device.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Dion Lefler WICHITA, Kan. _ Siding with developers over their fire chief and electrical board, Wichita City Council members pulled the plug Tuesday on a proposal that would have equipped all new homes with a device designed to...

Wind farm permit approved.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Eden Fuson EL DORADO, Kan. _ Butler County commissioners voted 4-3 on Tuesday to approve a permit for an 8,000-acre wind farm near Beaumont. It was the second time the commission had approved the wind farm. This time,...

Graham stands by Dean.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Peter Wallsten MIAMI _ Under a barrage of attacks from Democratic competitors who say his opposition to the Iraq war make him a weak presidential candidate, Howard Dean won some political cover Tuesday from a former rival:...

Packers expect Favre back for next season.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Tom Silverstein GREEN BAY, Wis. _ It's been hard to nail down quarterback Brett Favre on whether he'll play another season with the Green Bay Packers, but there have been hints and suggestions that retirement is no longer an...

Milton's last days as president of Urban League.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Abe Levy WICHITA, Kan. _ Otis Milton took biology in college, thinking he would be a veterinarian some day. Instead, his legacy after nearly 34 years with the Urban League of Wichita will be that he provided educational and...

Mourning to undergo kidney transplant on Friday.
December 17, 2003... Byline: Israel Gutierrez MIAMI _ Former Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning is scheduled to undergo kidney transplant surgery Friday in New York, according to two sources. Mourning announced his retirement from basketball on Nov. 24...

CART files for bankruptcy; no race to be held in Miami.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Cammy Clark MIAMI _ Next year there will be no Champ Cars speeding at more than 150 mph down Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. Three wealthy CART team owners are saving the day for the Champ Car World Series, but the trio...

Bush speaks, replica sputters on anniversary of first flight.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: David Perlmutt KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. _ On the same stretch of sand where the powered airplane first took off, President Bush on Wednesday ushered in the second century of flight by marveling at the achievements of Wilbur and...

Thurmond's daughter says she feels free now that secret is out.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Aaron Gould Sheinin COLUMBIA, S.C. _ It wasn't the first time she had said it, but Essie Mae Washington-Williams still sent a shiver through the crowd of 400 Wednesday with her simple declaration. She is the daughter of Strom...

Deng leads Duke's rout of Princeton.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Ken Tysiac DURHAM, N.C. _ Clever backdoor passes and excellent floor spacing made Princeton a frustrating opponent for third-ranked Duke on Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. But Duke has one of college basketball's...

`The Last Noel' by Michael Malone; `The Christmas Letters' by Lee Smith; `A Yuletide Universe: Sixteen Fantastical Tales,' edited by Brian M. Thomsen; `Classic Christmas Stories,' edited by Julia Livshin.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Nancy Pate 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS ``The Last Noel'' by Michael Malone (Sourcebooks, $14): Malone's engaging novel takes place on 12 days of Christmas strung out over 30 years. It's a bit of a ``Same Time, Next Year'' romance,...

Religious voting blocs shift allegiances.
December 17, 2003... Byline: Geneive Abdo CHICAGO _ The increasing influence of religion in American life is widely expected to shake up the 2004 presidential contest, realigning some traditional voting blocs in ways that might surprise both major parties,...

Losing cookies clears way back to healthy site.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: James Coates Q. All of a sudden my HP running Windows XP will not let me get to one of my regularly visited sites, an online vitamin store. I get the following error message: "Microsoft VBScript runtime error `800a01f4' Variable...

New phone offers flash of future; gift to others offers flash of hope.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: James Coates Remember the scene in "Back to the Future" where breadwinner Michael J. Fox gets a call while the family is at dinner and says he'll take it on the screen in his den? In the den he stands in front of a flat-panel...

A season in review: Sorenstam the real Player of the Year.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Randall Mell The official year in golf is over, and as we wind through the silly season toward a new year, it's time to review 2003 and hand out our end of the year awards: Player of the year: Sorry, Tiger, Annika Sorenstam...

Hunting for a solution to fight hunger.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Lew Freedman CHICAGO _ Todd McLester goes deer hunting every fall and he must be a pretty good shot because he gets his deer every fall. Lucky guy. "In good years," McLester said, "I end up with more than I can eat." ...

`The Small Boat of Great Sorrows' by Dan Fesperman; `Now May You Weep' by Deborah Crombie; `Saw Red' by Bob Truluck; `The Perils of Marie Louise' by Deloris Stanton Forbes; `The Breathtaker' by Alice Blanchard.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Nancy Pate War crimes, old and new, public and private, haunt the pages of Dan Fesperman's atmospheric ``The Small Boat of Great Sorrows'' (Knopf, $24, 320 pages). At the beginning of this fine follow-up to the equally fine...

A close call in Pakistan.
December 17, 2003... The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday, Dec. 16: X X X Even as Americans were celebrating the capture of Saddam Hussein, which promises hope for the future of Iraq, the news from another important Muslim...

The last word.
December 17, 2003... The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on Tuesday, Dec. 16: X X X It's a service designed to appeal to the worst and the best in each of us. For $9.99, a British Internet company named Mylastemail.com will give you,...

After Hubble, NASA will have a big space to fill.
December 17, 2003... Byline: James Janega CHICAGO _ In the time it takes to read this paragraph, NASA officials say the Hubble Space Telescope will travel nearly 60 miles across the sky, gather some of the six CD-ROMs' worth of data it fills each day, and...

Parents guide to new movie releases.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Roger Moore and Jay Boyar THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING Rating: PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and frightening images. What it's about: Men, elves, dwarves, goblins and hobbits battle and wrestle...

Capsule for GMAC Bowl.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Mike Huguenin THURSDAY NIGHT'S BOWL GAME GMAC Bowl Louisville vs. Miami of Ohio TIME: 7:30 p.m. EST. TV: ESPN2. RECORDS: Louisville 9-3, Miami 12-1. HOW THEY GOT HERE: Louisville is an at-large pick...

Federal regulators OK overhaul of NYSE governance.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Andrew Countryman CHICAGO _ Federal regulators gave final approval Wednesday to the New York Stock Exchange's governance overhaul _ the most significant in about three decades _ with interim NYSE head John Reed agreeing to...

Orbitz's IPO flattens after early surge.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Rob Kaiser CHICAGO _ Orbitz Inc. could say its initial public offering went like any other flight Wednesday: A quick takeoff, followed by a gradual decent and a smooth return to ground level. Yet David Menlow compared it to a...

Heavy rain, poor winds doom takeoff of Wright Flyer replica.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Jon Hilkevitch and Michael Kilian KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. _ The spirit was willing, but the winds were weak. The climax of the weeklong commemoration of the Wright brothers' first flight here 100 years ago was to have been a...

Democratic group airs anti-Dean ad.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Jeff Zeleny and John McCormick LAS CRUCES, N.M. _ Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean asked his rivals Tuesday to condemn a television ad that uses a picture of Osama bin Laden to criticize his foreign policy...

Judge grants unsupervised visits for man who shot Reagan.(Daily Press (Newport News, Va.))
December 17, 2003... Byline: David Lerman WASHINGTON _ A federal judge Wednesday denied John W. Hinckley Jr.'s request for overnight visits to his parents' home near Williamsburg, Va. However, U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman did allow six day visits and...

Malvo case goes to jury.(Newport News (Va.) Daily Press)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Kim O'Brien Root CHESAPEAKE, Va. _ Sniper suspect Lee Boyd Malvo's lawyers say he was insane, having fallen under the spell of a controlling, older man described by some as a pied piper. The prosecution says nonsense _ that...

Virginia governor's budget may have problems passing.(Daily Press)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Hugh Lessig RICHMOND, Va. _ The budget that Gov. Mark R. Warner submits Wednesday to key members of the General Assembly is already caught up in controversy. Warner will make his annual appearance before the legislature's...

Killer found in Asian oysters.(Newport News (Va.) Daily Press)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Dave Schleck NEWPORT NEWS, Va. _ A killer parasite has been found in Asian oysters in North Carolina but scientists aren't sure whether it poses a risk to the Asian oyster experiments under way in the Chesapeake Bay. Rumors...

Recent W&M grad hired as aide to senior adviser.(Newport News (Va) Daily Press)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Patti Rosenberg WILLIAMSBURG, Va. _ Spending New Year's Eve in Baghdad wouldn't be everyone's idea of a good time, but 22-year-old Van Smith is excited about it. The recent College of William and Mary graduate is scheduled to...

Curry out at least 2 weeks.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: K.C. Johnson CHICAGO _ Since Eddy Curry's rookie season, he and best pal Jamal Crawford have had a tradition of walking to the court together for pregame warmups. Crawford took that walk alone Tuesday night. "Dead man...

Lately, NFL stands for the No Fun League.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Mike Downey CHICAGO _ Can't anybody have any fun anymore? Why do people come down so hard on a football player who clowns around a little, trying to have a good time? Is it so terrible? Is there nobody left who can laugh? ...

Magnuson remembered as special man who touched many people.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Bob Verdi CHICAGO _ Friends of Keith Magnuson _ and they number in the thousands _ loved to sit around with him and shoot the bull. Where he created a touch of apprehension among listeners, however, was behind a podium and a...

Hall of Famer Graham dies at 82.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Don Pierson CHICAGO _ In 10 seasons, Otto Graham quarterbacked the Cleveland Browns to 10 championship games in two leagues, winning seven times. If the main idea is to win, there never has been a better quarterback. Graham,...

Mourning finds suitable kidney donor.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Ira Winderman PHILADELPHIA _ Alonzo Mourning's optimism throughout the darkest hours in his battle with kidney illness apparently is on the verge of being rewarded. Less than a month after the former Miami Heat center...

Gov. Bush wins delay in right-to-die case.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Sean Mussenden CLEARWATER, Fla. _ Gov. Jeb Bush won another delay Wednesday in a lawsuit over his involvement in a nationally watched right-to-die case. A hearing had been scheduled for Friday in Terri Schiavo's case, during...

White Sox may not get Nomar in A-Rod deal.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Teddy Greenstein CHICAGO _ Chicago White Sox fans might want to hold off on erecting that statue of Nomar Garciaparra at 35th and Shields. Even if the proposed Alex Rodriguez-for-Manny Ramirez deal comes to fruition, baseball...

China issues threat against Taiwanese separatists.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Michael A. Lev BEIJING _ China issued a new threat Wednesday to "crush" Taiwanese separatists while asking Taiwan to agree to a closer economic relationship. The mixed messages highlighted the complexities that define bonds...

Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan indicted.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Matt O'Connor and Ray Gibson CHICAGO _ A sweeping federal indictment of former Gov. George H. Ryan charged Wednesday that he received illegal cash payments, gifts and vacations, and helped his family members reap almost $167,000...

Ragtag Bulls make up 16-point deficit but can't close out Pistons.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: K.C. Johnson AUBURN HILLS, Mich. _ Defining moments don't often occur on an otherwise forgettable December night, especially when a team scores 73 points and shoots 31 percent. And moral victories don't exist in the NBA,...

Guillen in Ordonez's corner.(Chicago Tribune)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Phil Rogers CHICAGO _ If managing doesn't work out for Ozzie Guillen, he can always become a scout. He proved himself in that department years ago, speaking up for the skinny Venezuelan outfielder who could be headed to Boston...

East's worst.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 17, 2003... Byline: Brian Schmitz INDIANAPOLIS _ It didn't figure, it didn't add up and it certainly didn't make a bit of sense. Any Magic victory these days stuns you, but this . . . this was looney tunes. "Crazy," Drew Gooden called it....

Orlando finds its Magic on the road.
December 17, 2003... Byline: Brian Schmitz INDIANAPOLIS _ It didn't figure, it didn't add up and it certainly didn't make a bit of sense. Any Magic victory these days stuns you, but this . . . this was Looney Tunes. "Crazy," Drew Gooden called it....

Working moms choose to take detours from career paths.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 16, 2003... Byline: Pam Kelley CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ "Q: Why don't more women get to the top? A: They choose not to." That was the provocative headline on Lisa Belkin's recent New York Times Magazine story examining the growing number of...

Holiday card enthusiasts send holiday cheer.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 16, 2003... Byline: Mark Price CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Ruth Parnell threw out her holiday card list this year, after realizing there were as many dead people on its frayed pages as there were living. At 78, the Mint Hill, N.C., woman has outlasted...

Media's silence speaks clearly about their loyalties.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 16, 2003... Byline: Edward Wasserman Remember Joseph Wilson? Valerie Plame? Probably not. They had a moment of fierce media notoriety a few months ago. The full story has never been told, but they're not in the news anymore. The Washington press...

Inherently difficult vaccine process, plus bad luck, create flu woes.
December 16, 2003... Byline: Fred Tasker and Seth Borenstein MIAMI _ What went wrong? How did the world's most advanced economy, most sophisticated medical industry end up with a shortage of vaccine against a strain of flu that already has killed at least 20...