Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service articles from December 2004, page 7

Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service archives from December 2004

Appetizers to kick off a new year.
December 28, 2004... Bite-size nibblers can help jumpstart a New Year's Eve party. ___ BACON-WRAPPED SCALLOPS WITH TAMARI GLAZE About 30 pieces Glaze: 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari sauce or soy sauce 3 tablespoons maple syrup ...

Historical slights, rivalries hinder Asian reconciliation.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Daniel Sneider Sometimes the past has its uses. In East Asia events from decades ago, even centuries ago, are kept alive in the minds of many people. At the top of the list is Japan's empire building, from its repressive...

Unpleasant truths about conflict in Iraq.
December 28, 2004... The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Thursday, Dec. 23: X X X The blast that destroyed a packed mess tent in Mosul and claimed the lives of 22 people, including 13 U.S. soldiers, should also destroy any phony...

Bring out the big bucks for the French bubbly.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Fred Tasker Trot out your checkbook, second your mortgage and trade in your holiday presents. It's time for that ultimately decadent, indulgent and ridiculously expensive New Year's Eve tipple, French champagne. Sure, it...

Thrifty, and fun, too.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Connie Bloom Site: Thrifty Fun Address: www.thriftyfun.com Thrifty fun has a nice jingle to it after all that holiday shopping. The Thrifty Food section of this site presents surfers with the practical: whole...

Ask Jane: Finding a personal chef.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Jane Snow Q: A couple of years ago, you helped my husband find the ideal Mother's Day gift _ a personal chef service for a week. It was absolutely fabulous. A close friend is about to have her third child and I would like to give...

A luxurious breakfast in no time.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Jane Snow Gayle Johnson is queen of the quick, elegant breakfast _ exactly the kind of meal that's ideal for those occasions when you want to serve something special but don't want to be chained to the stove. Johnson prepares...

As city's icons rapidly disappear, traditionalists `rue Britannia'.(The Orange County Register)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Gary A. Warner LONDON _ Red double-decker buses. Black taxi cabs. Red phone boxes. The corner pub. A letter to the Times. London icons, all. All in danger of going the way of foggy nights, trolleys, pigeons in Trafalgar...

That's Italian! Or is it Swiss? In Ticino, it's pleasingly both.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Jay Clarke LUGANO, Switzerland _ If your image of Switzerland is of Alps, cows and chocolate factories, you're in for a surprise when you visit this part of the country. Mountains, bovines and candy are as visible in the...

Researchers encourage low-income people to eat more fresh produce.(The Orange County Register)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Theresa Walker With all the issues challenging Robert Berglund and Naseen Hamilton on a Friday morning at the Share Our Selves charity in Costa Mesa, Calif., it seemed unlikely that they'd care much about a 5-pound bag of raw...

The Chef's Table: Look to the South for great sausage gravy.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Jim Coleman and Candace Hagan Q: I was listening to your show and heard that you had worked in the South. That comment along with the piece on "Homemade Delicious Foods" and the "Church Ladies Cookbook" got me to thinking....

A French omelet is light and luscious anytime.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Carole Kotkin Omelets make a lovely light supper or a relaxing weekend breakfast during the busy holiday season. Once you master the technique, you'll be amazed at how quick and easy they are to make. I learned years ago as a...

Cook's Corner: Beach cafe's distinctive fried rice.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Linda Cicero Q: I had the best fried rice at World Resources Cafe in Miami Beach. It seems like a simple recipe but I haven't been able to get the same results. Can I get the recipe please? _Sharlene, via e-mail A: The recipe...

It's all downhilling from here, ski fans.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Tom Parsons Heading to the slopes? Consider these deals: Airline vacation divisions offer packages with air and hotel, plus add-ons such as lift tickets and car rental. Sample prices from Dallas for early March midweek...

Winter warm-up.(St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Judith Evans When we're feeling a chill from real frost rather than frosty drinks _ or from wading through real snow rather than snowy white sand _ the time is right for a taste of the tropics. Sure, your friends may need to...

Canal district goes way back in Maryland.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Bob Downing CUMBERLAND, Md. _ Canal Place is the hub of historic Cumberland. The main building in the ongoing revitalization plan for Cumberland's historic area is the three-story red brick Western Maryland Railway Station....

Missile defense: 3-2-1 ... pfft!
December 28, 2004... The following editorial appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday, Dec. 22: X X X Here's one for the "If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it" file: If you're test firing a missile and the...

Travel notebook.
December 28, 2004... WHALE WATCH FROM OPEN-COCKPIT BIPLANE Whale watching becomes true adventure travel from an open cockpit biplane. Biplane, Air Combat & Warbird Adventures in Carlsbad, Calif., offers aerial sightseeing along San Diego's coast. The annual...

Amalfi, Umbria, Tuscany and Como hold a special allure for visitors.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: John Bordsen What's it like to live in a far-off place most of us see only on a vacation? Foreign Correspondence is an interview with someone who lives in a spot you may want to visit. Mara Solomon, 47, is an owner of...

Destinations wrestle the all-too-familiar problem.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Larry Bleiberg The drive from Orlando's airport to its theme parks might lead to a landscape of delight and fantasy. But vacationers first must pass Target, Wal-Mart and Linens `n Things. Visitors might have thought they were...

Pendleton blanket synonymous with achievement for tribal members.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Lynda V. Mapes SEATTLE _ Piled nearly head-high, these blankets, so thick, so soft, so brilliantly colored, ignite a rummaging instinct. Hands rooting, heads down, conversation muted, shoppers _ middle-aged white folks, New...

Protecting beef supply _ one cow at a time.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Sandi Doughton BENGE, Wash. _ The Bar U Ranch is home to about 300 cows this season, and Dick Coon knows every one of them. There's the Angus with the white face that chased him when he tried to vaccinate her new-born calf;...

Our closets overflow with cheap, disposable clothes.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Bob Fernandez PHILADELPHIA _ Although Jill Karol, 48, is a single mother who watches every dollar, she recently set out to buy herself two new winter coats. Without an ounce of guilt. At a Target store, Karol was happy...

Goodwill's clothing supply snapped up as quickly as it's stocked.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Bob Fernandez PHILADELPHIA _ It's two days after Thanksgiving _ "Black Saturday" to those who flock to Goodwill thrift stores for their twice-a-year half-price sale _ and Joanne Brothers is rushing out of the Swarthmore, Pa.,...

Toronto taking over North American used-clothing market.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Bob Fernandez SCARBOROUGH, Canada _ Amid a worldwide glut of American used clothes, Toronto businessmen like Farokh Gahadali have carved out a profitable niche. He and dozens of other immigrant entrepreneurs buy tens of...

It may pay to get lower Social Security benefits early.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Jeff Brown Q. My annual notice from the government says that if I start taking my Social Security benefit in eight years, at age 62, I'll get about $1,500 a month. But I'll get about $2,000 if I wait until I'm 66, or $2,700 if I...

Avoid sudden moves in the new year.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Jeff Brown For all the angst investors suffered in 2004, it actually turned out to be a pretty good year. Inflation stayed low. So did consumer interest rates _ somewhat surprisingly, given the Federal Reserve's five stabs at...

PC maker sets sights on U.S.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: John Boudreau TAIPEI, Taiwan _ Acer, the personal computer maker, is hoping to do what no other Taiwanese tech company has done: succeed with a global brand. But its road to success must pass through the United States, the...

Sunoco using more oil from the sands of Canada.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Harold Brubaker Canada's oil sands have been touted for decades as an important source of oil _ someday. That day _ spurred by a former Canadian subsidiary of Sunoco Inc. that first commercialized Alberta's Athabasca oil...

Flower Power: Pasadena's Rose Bowl grew from disaster to classic.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Chip Brown DALLAS _ Before the Rose Bowl became the Granddaddy of Them All, nestled at the foot of the San Andreas Mountains with its glorious sunshine and tense Pac-10 vs. Big Ten skirmishes, it was a nervous fund-raiser with...

BCS boss doesn't see a playoff in the future.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Wendell Barnhouse FORT WORTH, Texas _ Faced with more problems than solutions, the Bowl Championship Series is an ever-evolving pop quiz. The BCS learned this week that The Associated Press would no longer allow its football...

Amid steroid scandal, it's time to apologize to AP's Steve Wilstein.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Mike Bianchi ORLANDO, Fla. _ On behalf of the journalism profession, I want to apologize to Steve Wilstein today. It's six years too late, but still "We're sorry, Steve. Sorrier than you can ever imagine." The sport...

Florida prepares for date with Miami.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Mike Phillips ATLANTA _ Seasons greetings to the Florida State Seminoles from the Gators _ all the way from the Georgia Dome. At least that's the way it sounded Sunday just after the Gators held their first workout in Atlanta to...

Shriver's influence in Schwarzenegger administration runs deep.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Ann E. Marimow SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ Maria Shriver's visit to an inner-city elementary school earlier this month was one of the many ceremonial duties she's assumed as the wife of California's governor. Still, one second-grader's...

Tepid approval ratings won't help Bush enact sweeping agenda.
December 28, 2004... Byline: David Jackson WASHINGTON _ While President Bush's big ticket agenda is backed by what he calls "political capital," events are already shrinking his account. American deaths in Iraq, mounting criticism of Defense Secretary...

Sinking islands pointed to danger of massive earthquake.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Glennda Chui SAN JOSE, Calif. _ For decades, scientists say, tiny islands off the west coast of Sumatra have been sinking _ an ominous sign that strain was building toward Sunday's great earthquake, which set off tidal waves that...

Risk seen in vaginal birth after having C-section.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Kawanza L. Griffin MILWAUKEE _ Women who want to try a vaginal birth after a Caesarean section have one more thing to consider _ what's in the baby's best interest. That's because a recent study in the New England Journal of...

Woman accused of cutting out fetus fits rare profile, expert says.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Todd C. Frankel ST. LOUIS, Mo. _ In the first hours after Bobbie Jo Stinnett was murdered and her fetus cut from her womb, police and the FBI hunted for two men and a woman, based on a witness' report. They chased down a tip...

Dilfer, a last-minute fill-in, does know how to win.(Seattle Times)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Steve Kelley SEATTLE _ Even at regular speed the play seemed to unfold in slow motion, like one of those scenes from a bad sports movie. Looking more like Michael Phelps than Michael Vick, Trent Dilfer was scrambling to his...

Familiar theme: Heartbreak for Browns in last-second loss.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Terry Pluto MIAMI _ Two lame duck coaches, two 3-11 teams. Now there's something you don't see every week _ or perhaps even every decade. But that was the show that ESPN presented to the nation Sunday night. And...

Nowitzki scores 36 to lift Mavericks on the road.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Eddie Sefko DENVER _ Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley each had a role in rescuing the Mavericks from what could have been another costly, humbling loss. Nowitzki's contribution was obvious. He poured in 36 points, including...

Former Packer Reggie White dies at 43.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Tom Silverstein GREEN BAY, Wis. _ The flags at the north end of Lambeau Field flew at half-staff Sunday morning in honor of a fallen Green Bay Packers hero. It was a tribute ordered by Packers president Bob Harlan after he...

Panthers building dominance over Buccaneers.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Stan Olson TAMPA, Fla. _ It's hard to believe just two seasons ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were champions of the football world. The Carolina Panthers whipped the Bucs for the fourth straight time Sunday, kicking them all...

Sweden blanks Germany.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Brad E. Schlossman THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. _ Johannes Salmonsson said there's a different feeling around Team Sweden this year. The Swedes finished eighth and seventh, respectively, in the last two World Junior...

Wick ignites Switzerland victory; Tobler makes 19 saves for shutout.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Kevin Fee GRAND FORKS, N.D. _ Switzerland was reeling early in the first period. Belarus was putting on the pressure but couldn't dent Swiss goalie Michael Tobler. Switzerland needed an offensive spark, and Roman Wick...

49ers' loss means No. 1 draft pick for 2005.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Daniel Brown SAN FRANCISCO _ This is what passed for Fan Appreciation Day on Sunday: A few hundred fans stuck around for the final seconds, and some of them did so only to sneak in a few last insults at the 49ers. "Hooray,...

Leading by 12 in third, Nuggets lose fifth in a row.(The Gazette)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Dan Wolken DENVER _ Lying flat on his back, Kenyon Martin put his right hand on a stack of towels and tilted his head just enough to watch the game from the baseline. A few feet away, Carmelo Anthony sat in the last seat on the...

Timberwolves turn back Wizards.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Mike Wells MINNEAPOLIS _ Get excited or stay weary? That's the question after the Timberwolves beat the Washington Wizards, 109-74, at Target Center on Sunday night. The Wolves put on a similar performance in their last...

Warriors unveil breakthrough over Kings.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Marcus Thompson II SACRAMENTO _ The announcing of Warriors point guard Derek Fisher's name drew boos from the 17,317 at Arco Arena on Sunday. It seemed they remembered him from his days with the Los Angeles Lakers. Forward...

Cardinals' playoff hopes dashed; loss puts final nail in coffin.(East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Ariz.))
December 28, 2004... Byline: Darren Urban SEATTLE _ The playoff dream died its rightful death Sunday, buried beneath another inconsistent showing by the Arizona Cardinals. Those now-you-see-them, now-you-don't performances peppered the 2004 schedule, so...

Cardinals should be looking for wins, not what-ifs.(East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Ariz.))
December 28, 2004... Byline: Scott Bordow SEATTLE _ Well, there goes the Super Bowl. It was fun there for a while, wasn't it? Checking playoff scenarios. Figuring out who the Cardinals might play in the postseason. Wondering if their first-round...

Suns win 11th straight game, 106-94 over Raptors.(East Valley Tribune (Mesa, Ariz.))
December 28, 2004... Byline: Mike Tulumello PHOENIX _ Gone was the problem of the Suns' starters getting off slowly. Instead, they charged out to a 24-8 lead Sunday night over the Toronto Raptors. Appearing Sunday night was another problem: Those same...

Clippers blown away in Houston.(The Orange County Register)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Art Thompson III HOUSTON _ Corey Maggette led the Los Angeles Clippers in scoring Sunday night, which was fine. He led them in assists, which was good, too. But the story of the Clippers' performance against the Houston...

Sunday was Reggie White's day.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Tim Kawakami SAN JOSE, Calif. _ Reggie White died at 43 on Sunday, which seems both heartbreaking and achingly appropriate for those of us who knew him even a little bit. Sundays were his domain. Reggie, an ordained minister...

Reggie White was always destined for something greater.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Rich Hofmann PHILADELPHIA _ The greatest Eagles player, the greatest ever, had many hopes and one overriding desire: to be known as something other than a football player, as something more. It was what drove Reggie White,...

A boo-tiful victory for Vinny and Bill.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Randy Galloway IRVING, Texas _ It was a restless Texas Stadium crowd. What started as a serious case of fan displeasure soon escalated into full-blown anger. In another era, only one visiting club could whip the local masses...

Wacky travel year packs tales from the other side of bon voyage.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Michael Precker A successful traveler is flexible, resourceful, curious, eager for new acquaintances and new experiences _ and just a little lucky. Because while so many wonderful things are waiting for us out in the world,...

Heart drug for blacks: Good thing.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Peter A. Brown Race is one of those topics that few people in polite conversation these days discuss realistically. They fear anything they say will be used against them. Even when the discussion involves singling out a...

Spirit of '76 cruises on the Potomac River.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Arline Bleecker Sometimes it's your own small corner of the world you know least. In my case, I've crossed 3,000 miles of ocean several times to cruise on some of Europe's famed rivers. On the Danube, Elbe and Seine, I came to...

NFL rules throw Vegas' Super Bowl parties for a loss.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Bill Ordine The National Football League is full of menacing characters ferocious about protecting their turf. Usually, they're fearsome linebackers, defensive tackles and safeties intent on keeping the opposition from crossing...

Advice Diva: Lavish gifts leave her stressed out for the holidays.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Tara Solomon Dear Advice Diva: I just opened a holiday package from my cousin who lives up north. We have not been that close in the past but this last year we exchanged e-mails and phone calls, trying to become closer. Well,...

The anti-Aspen: For altitude without attitude, hit Flagstaff's slopes.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Amanda Kingsbury FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. _ "Ride Naked" isn't just a catchy slogan on the T-shirts sold here at the Arizona Snowbowl. For skiers, au naturel adventure is a rite of spring, when locals go bare for the last run of the...

Snowbowl fight: Debate rages over snow making.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Amanda Kingsbury Mother Nature has not been generous with the Arizona Snowbowl _ for the past 10 of 11 years, the snowfall has been below average. So, the ski area wants to bring in snow-making machines, a proposal that's opposed...

Heartbeat reaches riskiest rhythm at midmorning.
December 28, 2004... The heartbeat is subject to a daily cycle that peaks at 10 a.m., researchers report. The findings may explain why heart attacks, strokes and other circulatory problems peak at that time of day. In a report that appears online this week in...

Moviegoers spend Christmas with the `Fockers'.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Hanh Nguyen LOS ANGELES _ With the holiday season bringing families to theaters in droves, it's appropriate that the ultimate family film, "Meet the Fockers," topped the Christmas weekend box office with $44.7 million. The comedy...

Ramblin' man: Favorites from the road in 2004.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Gary A. Warner EDITOR'S NOTE: A Harris's hawk became a hat in Scotland. Flashlight wars at a luxury hotel in Maui. Sloshing around in the depths of the world's largest cruise ship as it cut through the stormy Atlantic. Awakening...

The worst places and events from the 2004 year of travel.(The Orange County Register)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Gary A. Warner The once-mighty greenback has become the 90-pound weakling of the currency beach, with the euro, Japanese yen and British pound all kicking sand in its face. The sticker shock of prices on my overseas trips was...

Sydney, Australia, again tops many of the annual travel bests lists.(The Orange County Register)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Gary A. Warner Sydney, Sydney, Sydney. Yawn, yawn, yawn. Come on! Anybody have any creativity out there? OK, the Australian metropolis is drop-dead gorgeous and a great place to visit. The people are friendly, the prices are...

Movie passions: saintly and less so.(The Orange County Register)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Barry Koltnow The 10 most memorable moments in Hollywood during 2004. 1. The moment Frank Rich entered the fray. When the respected and widely read New York Times columnist wrote the first in a series of blistering...

The Top 10 albums of 2004.(The Orange County Register)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Ben Wener What makes for a great album, one that will endure? Striking sounds? An ability to unify the masses? That it's enjoyable from start to finish _ and worth repeating? I honestly don't know, and any analysis of...

Regis is rarin' to go on New Year's Eve.
December 28, 2004... Byline: Rick Porter When it became apparent that Dick Clark's recent stroke would keep him from hosting ABC's New Year's Eve festivities, both the network and Clark's production company scrambled to make a list of potential replacements....

Going the extra mile: Set in the right place, a film can find its heart.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Duane Dudek At a time when Hollywood films increasingly are shot in a computer or in Canada, the phrase "wherever you go, there you are" has become the navigational equivalent of "whatever." If the reel world is in any way...

`The Sea Inside'.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Steven Rea "The Sea Inside" begins with the sound of breathing: the soft, steady thrum of life. And it is one man's life _ and his desire to end it _ that is at the heart of this moving, hot-button-issue drama. Based on the...

A novel change from Linda Bloodworth Thomason.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Ellen Gray Working in show business may make it easier to get a book published, but it's no guarantee it'll be a good book. For every Steve Martin _ an actor who really can write _ there's a Steven Bochco or a Stephen...

Kevin Spacey took a decade to bring singer's life to the screen.(The Orange County Register)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Barry Koltnow LOS ANGELES _ Kevin Spacey wasn't Dodd Darin's first choice to play his father, the late singer Bobby Darin, in the new biopic "Beyond the Sea." Spacey also wasn't the first choice of actress Sandra Dee,...

`Beyond the Sea'.(The Orlando Sentinel)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Roger Moore You won't believe Kevin Spacey is the late, sort of great hep-cat singer Bobby Darin in "Beyond the Sea." Not for a minute. Well, maybe for a few seconds here and there _ when he's mimicking the famous 1950s...

Robert MacNeil returns to PBS for special on language.(Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Luaine Lee CENTURY CITY, Calif. _ He may have been one of the top TV newsmen, but Robert MacNeil just doesn't have "the look." He looks more like a harried print journalist used to late nights and bad diets. He knows what...

Iranian artist portrays inner strength of female Muslims.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Alice Thorson KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ The status and treatment of women under Islam are charged topics in the current global climate. Last month Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was murdered after his film "Submission," about...

Japan to form study panel on female ascent to throne.
December 28, 2004... TOKYO _The Japanese government will establish an advisory council to begin deliberations early next year on the wisdom of granting female members of the imperial family the right to ascend the throne, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda...

MoMA's coolly modern structure may leave visitors cold.(The Dallas Morning News)
December 28, 2004... Byline: David Dillon NEW YORK _ The new Museum of Modern Art is a $425 million bore that will excite purists but put many others to sleep. Not because of the art, which looks even more spectacular now for having been in storage for four...

Television news briefs.
December 28, 2004... BRAVO MAKES SCHILLING, ROMANO, GRAHAM LATEST `POKER' STUDS For the fifth time, celebrities are ready to go all in for charity, as Bravo prepares to launch its fifth season of the popular "Celebrity Poker Showdown." The new season of...

Yushchenko faces big expectations, challenges in leading Ukraine.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Mark McDonald KIEV, Ukraine _ Getting elected, the new president might find, was the easy part. Viktor Yushchenko is the winner of Ukraine's presidential runoff, with 52 percent of the votes to Prime Minister Viktor...

People in the news.
December 28, 2004... George Carlin is entering a drug rehabilitation facility to shake his dependence on alcohol and a painkiller, reports USA Today. ``I'm going into rehab because I use too much wine and Vicodin,'' the 67-year-old comedian said in a...

Blast targeting Shiite political leader kills at least 12 in Baghdad.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
December 28, 2004... Byline: Hannah Allam BAGHDAD, Iraq _ The Shiite Muslim leader of Iraq's largest political party survived a suicide bombing outside his Baghdad compound Monday that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 30 in another apparent...