Wire
World Briefly
Ex-AG Ashcroft says he relied on Justice lawyers to decide how harshly to question terrorists WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Attorney General John Ashcroft on Thursday disavowed the now-defunct legal reasoning used to justify harshly questioning terrorism suspects, but dug in his heels to defend White House officials who pressured him while he was hospitalized four years ago to approve terror surveillance programs. For a House Judiciary Committ...
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Ask Amy
READERS’ IDEAS ON WHAT PARENTS CAN EXPECT FROM ADULT CHILDREN Dear ReadersDEAR READERS: I receive many letters from older parents who are disappointed by the lack of attention from their adult children. A recent column on this topic prompted some thoughtful responses. Dear AmyDEAR AMY: I enjoyed your recent column that discussed why some adult children are involved with their parents and why some are not. I speak from unfortunate experience. ...
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Heloise
FOR RELEASE FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2008 Carpet Dents Dear Heloise: I had a pool table on my Berber carpet for a very long time, and the indentationsINDENTATIONSfrom the legs are so deep that even a carpet cleaner could not get it corrected. Is there a magic solution? I am selling my house, and this is not good. -- Doris Quinn, via e-mail If a pro couldn’t do it, I don’t know if these hints will help you, but give them a try. Fil...
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Legislature says no money for Eldon Ray
Carl Manning Associated Press Writer TOPEKA (AP) — A couple of years ago, 84-year-old Eldon Ray was fined $500 by a state regulatory board after he oversaw construction of a rural church. He had hoped the state would pay him $3,122 for his legal fees after a legislative committee said it was the right thing to do. But the House didn’t approve the money. Although the attorney is a friend, Ray still feels obligated to pay her. “I’m going ...
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Celebrities
Eric Idle adds an orchestra to Monty Python comedy LOS ANGELES (AP) — In Eric Idle’s world, a leaf blower is part of the orchestra. The Monty Python star and “Spamalot” writer is bringing his silliness back to the stage with “Not the Messiah,” a musical comedy hodgepodge that features a full orchestra and the occasional leaf blower. “Musically we’ve put it in,” Idle said. After putting on the production in Toronto and Sydney, Australia, ...
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Rapist gets 48 years in prison for Lawrence crimes
LAWRENCE (AP) — A Douglas County judge has sentenced a convicted serial rapist to 48 years in prison for his assaults on women during the 1990s. Cory Elkins, 39, apologized to victims during a tearful speech Wednesday in Douglas County District Court. The judge handed down the most severe sentence he could under state sentencing guidelines. When released, Elkins must register as a sex offender. “I truly hope these women can find peace from...
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Tribal secretary pleads guilty in Indian immigration plot
WICHITA (AP) — The secretary of a group that claims to be an American Indian tribe pleads guilty in a scheme to defraud immigrants by promising them that tribal membership conferred U.S. citizenship. Eduviges (eh-doo-VEE’-ges) del Carmen Zamora pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Thursday to failing to inform authorities that she knew applicants to the tribe were being defrauded by the chief’s claims. She also agreed to testify in the ...
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Oddities
Kentucky boy checks drivers’ speed with toy radar gun LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Landon Wilburn, 11, has a future as a cop — a traffic cop. The youngster, who used to shout at speeders to slow down as they drove through the Stone Lakes subdivision in Louisville, now has taken matters into his own hands. Dressed in a reflective vest, wearing a bicycle helmet and armed with an orange Hot Wheels brand radar gun, he points and records the actual ...
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Oil drops below $130 Thursday
Adam Schreck AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices tumbled below $130 a barrel for the first time in more than a month Thursday, as crude’s dramatic slide entered a third day accompanied by a sharp sell-off in natural gas. The declines accelerated amid growing concerns that the weakening economy and creeping inflation are eroding demand for fossil fuels in the U.S. and other large energy-consuming nations. Oil is now more than 10...
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Heloise
FOR RELEASE THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2008 A Cure for the Summertime Reds Dear Heloise: Help! I love strawberriesSTRAWBERRIES, but got them on my shorts. Can you share a suggestion on how to remove the stain? Thanks. -- Charmaine, Mount Airy, N.C. Don’t give up your strawberries, Charmaine. Try this: As soon as possible, soak the stained area in cold water. If any stain remains, rub liquid laundry detergent into the stain while i...
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World Briefs
Bush claims executive privilege to keep CIA leak records from Congress; contempt vote delayed WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush invoked executive privilege to keep Congress from seeing the FBI report of an interview with Vice President Dick Cheney and other records related to the administration’s leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity in 2003. The president’s decision drew a sharp protest Wednesday from Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman...
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Sedgwick County database will help elderly, disabled
Roxana Hegeman Associated Press Writer WICHITA (AP) — The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday unveiled a database for emergency responders that will have personal information from elderly and disabled residents who sign up for the program. The database will include participants’ medical conditions, family doctors, the location of medicines and whether the person has a living will or other instructions. It also will have contact ...
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Oddities
Officer’s squad car wrecked 29 minutes into job HOBART, Ind. (AP) — Police officer Tim Pochron’s first day on the job went poorly: Less than a half-hour into it, his squad car was wrecked in a crash. Pochron was inside his house at 12:29 a.m. Monday when someone hit his new squad car parked outside, as well as a tree, police said. “Pochron was 29 minutes into the first day of his new job when his parked squad car was struck,” Lt. Steve Ho...
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Program gives future students head start
GARDEN CITY (AP) — Jet and jackrabbit both start with J, so they were to go on the collage Jake Underwood, 3, was making, with some help from his mom at the Pierceville-Plymell Elementary School library. But it wasn’t the jets or the jackrabbits that made him choose J as his favorite letter. “J for Jake,” he said, looking up at his brother, 5-year-old Austin Underwood, who had picked S because of Star Wars, spaghetti and stars. Austin was...
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Pacers sign Rush, Hibbert
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush gave Indiana Pacers coach Jim O’Brien what they thought was the right answer about their expectations heading into their rookie NBA seasons. Each said he wanted to just fit in and not step on anybody’s feet. “I’m not interested in these guys coming in to fit in and not step on anybody’s feet,” O’Brien said Tuesday. Oops. “As a matter of fact, I’d like them to compete for starting jobs. I s...
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Hearings scheduled on Westar rate increase of 15 percent
John Hanna Associated Press Writer TOPEKA (AP) — Kansas regulators have scheduled hearings on a proposal from Westar Energy Inc. for a 15 percent increase in electric rates. The Kansas Corporation Commission has scheduled hearings for Sept. 2-4 in Salina, Topeka and Wichita to take public testimony. It has scheduled 12 days of hearings in Topeka starting Oct. 29 for attorneys to question Westar executives, utility consultants and others. Stat...
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Ask Amy
COUSIN’S BAD CELEBRATION HABITS NOTHING TO BE IMITATED AT SHOWER Dear AmyDEAR AMY: When my cousin got married, I sent her and her new husband a gift, even though my husband and I never even received a “congratulations” from her when we got married. She never thanked us for the gift. When she came to my baby shower, she said she was going to send a gift but never did. I would’ve been happy with a little note of acknowledgment for the birt...
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Woman accused of poisoning son in hospital
Ramit Plushnick-Masti Associated Press Writer PITTSBURGH (AP) — A woman poisoned her infant son by repeatedly injecting salt water into his feeding tube at hospitals in Tennessee and Pittsburgh in what she claimed were attempts to hasten the death of a suffering child, authorities said Wednesday. Four-month-old Noah King is in critical condition with sodium poisoning at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and police said they believe the b...
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Kansas legislators to study rising gasoline prices
TOPEKA (AP) — Legislators aren’t sure they can do much about high gasoline prices, but a committee will be studying the issue. Legislative leaders have assigned the topic of high gas prices to the Special Committee on Energy and Environmental Policy. The committee hasn’t set its first meeting yet, but it will meet later this year. The idea for such a study came from Rep. Joe Patton, a Topeka Republican. He said he has been receiving plenty of...
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Study: Low-carb diet best for weight, cholesterol
Mike Stobbe AP Medical Writer ATLANTA (AP) — The Atkins diet may have proved itself after all: A low-carb diet and a Mediterranean-style regimen helped people lose more weight than a traditional low-fat diet in one of the longest and largest studies to compare the dueling weight-loss techniques. A bigger surprise: The low-carb diet improved cholesterol more than the other two. Some critics had predicted the opposite. “It is a vindication...
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