NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 29, 2008

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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Axelrod Puts Stimulus Plan at $675 Billion to $775 Billion
By SHARON OTTERMAN
The last Sunday of the year was a quiet one on the network's morning talk shows, with David Axelrod, President-elect Barack Obama's political adviser, looking ahead to the new administration while Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reflected on the past eight years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/us/politics/29talkshows.html?scp=5&sq=gay&st=cse


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-A One-Word Explanation? Try 'Greed'
by Jay Bookman
The secret to capitalism's success is its ability to take one of mankind's most powerful emotions - greed - and harness that emotion to drive economic progress. By greedily pursuing our own individual self-interests, the theory goes, each of us contributes almost accidentally to greater prosperity for everybody.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/12/27-0

-Southern strategy backlash
BY DAVID S. BRODER
As a rule, a new president's choice of a secretary of transportation makes few headlines, even when the appointee is a member of the opposition. In 2001, George W. Bush decided to name as transportation secretary Norman Mineta, a former congressman from California, to be the token Democrat in his Cabinet, and no one noticed. And no one except for Mark Shields, who lavishly praised the appointment, paid much attention last week when Barack Obama made Ray LaHood, the retiring representative from Peoria, Ill., the second Republican in his Cabinet.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/829455.html

-Israeli Aircraft Continue Raids on Gaza; Arab Anger Rises
By TAGHREED EL-KHODARY and ISABEL KERSHNER
GAZA - In a third straight day of deadly air strikes against the emblems and institutions of Hamas on Monday, Israeli warplanes pounded targets in Gaza including the Interior Ministry while the Israeli Army declared areas around the beleaguered enclave a "closed military zone."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/world/middleeast/30mideast.html?_r=1&hp

-Bernie's funda-mental defense
If you thought Bernard Madoff's $50 billion investment scheme was audacious, get ready for his alibi. Lawyers for the accused scammer are exploring an insanity defense, we hear.
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/12/28/2008-12-28_bernies_fundamental_defense.html


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