Out of Context Archive: December 2008
-
Ted Leonsis reaches friend limit on Facebook
Ted Leonsis has been forced to stop adding friends to his Facebook page, having reached the limit. Tough luck, Ted. There's still a lot of friends out there to befriend. Published December 5 2008
-
Study: Happiness is contagious
Researchers studying 5,000 people for more than 20 years have found that happiness spreads quickly through social networks. Guess this is what they call "good" news, but it still sounds like a medical story to me. Published December 5 2008
-
Hillary to take pay cut at State
Sen. Hillary Clinton will have to forgo a $5,000 pay raise to become secretary of state. C'mon! Hasn't she been through enough? This is the bureaucratic version of piling on. Published December 5 2008
-
O.J. gets his sentence today
O.J. Simpson will find out how long he will be behind bars — and this time, those bars don't serve fruited drinks. Published December 5 2008
-
Dems want Obama to take on the economy
Some Democrats are saying that President-elect Barack Obama needs to be more assertive in working on the economy. Obama says there can only be one president at a time. Now I'm confused. Published December 5 2008
-
Stocks fall on prediction of cheap oil
The stock market fell for first time in three days because the price of oil might fall to $25 a barrel. At that price, everybody could buy their own barrel. Then where would Exxon be? Published December 4 2008
-
What is Arnold's next move?
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be out of office in a few years and looking for something else to do. So watch out, all of you girly men. He might come over to pump you up. Published December 4 2008
-
Bad economy keeps couples together
Couples who have separated or divorced are staying together because the economic downturn makes it hard for them to leave each other. So if the economy tanking should lower the divorce rate, would that be a victory for social conservatism? Published December 4 2008
-
Solar car goes around the world
Running solely on the power of the sun, a car has traveled around the world without a tank of gas. Now that's gas mileage we can live with. Published December 4 2008
-
Vermont waiting on Bush
Vermonters are wondering if President Bush will visit their state before he leaves office. Well, Vermonters are so laid-back that "wondering" might be too strong a term, but the notion has crossed their minds. Published December 4 2008
-
Bushes buy Dallas home
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush have purchased a house in Dallas. Guess all this time in Washington has finally citified the Bushes. Published December 4 2008
-
Toymaker offers Lego Nazis and terrorists
A toymaker in Great Britain has created a range of new Lego characters that includes Nazis and al Qaeda terrorists. The toymaker was so close to having a good idea but missed it by that much. Published December 4 2008
-
Capitol One looks to buy Chevy Chase Bank
Financial restructuring is afoot, with finance company Capitol One aiming to buy Chevy Chase Bank. I worry that someday soon one company will own all the banks. Published December 4 2008
-
Kennedy auction offers unique items
A charity auction for the Robert F. Kennedy for Human Rights offers plenty of singularly experiences — for the person lacking in singular experiences, I suppose. Published December 4 2008
-
Fossil of giant flying reptile found in Brazil
Scientists have uncovered the fossil of a huge flying reptile that lived 115 million years ago. It's big and new, but the velociraptor is still the coolest dinosaur. That and Keith Richards. Published December 4 2008
-
Britain, Sweden cut interest rates
Central banks in Sweden and Great Britain have slashed their interest rates to shore up their economies. So by cutting the rate, the economy can grow? Sounds crazy — so crazy that it just might work! Published December 4 2008
-
Best female figure might not be so curvy
The optimal female shape for dealing with stressful situations is a lot less curvy than the hourglass ideal. Sorry guys. Published December 4 2008
-
GM CEO drives to D.C.
The head of the biggest of the Big Three automakers took the scenic route to Washington to ask Congress for bailout money. Driving a car from Detroit to D.C. is a LOT more humbling than flying a private jet, ain't it? Published December 3 2008
-
NFL suspends 6 players over anti-doping policy
The NFL, in a get-tough move, suspended six players for using a diuretic, which can mask the use of steroids. Gosh, I wonder how they'd have been punished if the NFL found they had used steroids. Published December 3 2008
-
Russian warship to sail through Panama Canal
A Russian warship is scheduled to sail through the Panama Canal this week. Take that, Chavez! Oh, you invited them? Never mind. Published December 3 2008
