ShareThisHere is the Scripps Howard News Service CONSOLIDATED BUDGET for Tuesday, December 23, 2008. If you have questions or comments, SHNS editors can be reached at 202-408-1484. For all SHNS content and archives visit our Web site at www.shns.com.
NATIONAL
POLYGAMYREPORT (Anthony, SHNS) -- SAN ANGELO, Texas: More than one in four girls age 12 or older were sexually abused at the YFZ Ranch, according to a report of the state's investigation of the polygamous sect that was raided in April. 500.
STIMULUS-DEAD (Danielson, St. Petersburg Times) -- APOLLO BEACH, Fla.: The IRS says it followed its procedures in sending a stimulus payment to a dead woman. 550.
YOUNGSPENDERS (Harmanci, San Francisco Chronicle) -- SAN FRANCISCO: Recession offers bargains for young, employed. 780.
SEPTICTANKGIFT (Foley, SHNS) -- CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas: When he heard the gift was coming, Dionisio Castillo rushed back home from Dallas to see it happen for himself. The gift -- a welcome, albeit unusual, early Christmas present from a state program that funnels money from state environmental fines to help improve water quality -- was a septic tank. 450.
HEALTH AND SCIENCE
OBESITYATTHEZOO (Price, Raleigh News & Observer) - RALEIGH, N.C.: Even hippos and whales, it turns out, can get fat. But how can you tell, let alone slim one down? 550. With photo: SH08L162OBESITYATTHEZOO
INTERNATIONAL
MEXICODRUGS (Jimenez, Toronto Globe and Mail) -- MEXICO CITY: Mexicans struggling to cope with soaring addiction at home. 600.
BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
COMPUTE (Derk, SHNS -- Column) -- Computer Central. What to do for a new computer. 500.
RESUMANIA (Messmer, SHNS -- Column) -- Dos and don'ts for resumes and cover letters. 400.
IN THE WEST
ENCORE-VEGAS (Benston, Las Vegas Sun) -- LAS VEGAS: Steven Wynn reaches for the stars -- and diamonds -- with his new hotel, Encore. 950.
OPED
COMMENT
AMBROSE (Ambrose, SHNS -- Column) -- The effort of Caroline Kennedy to be appointed to the Senate raises questions about whether our democracy seeks out merit in choosing its leaders. 630.
REALSAINTNICK (Throckmorton, SHNS -- Comment) -- A closer look at what Saint Nicholas has to offer. 700.
MURDOCK (Murdock, SHNS -- Column) -- For political class, season of giving and season of grabbing. 650. EDITORS: Murdock column will move today instead of Thursday due to Christmas holiday.
SCHRAM (Schram, SHNS -- Column) -- Among the missing truths in the distorted "Frost/Nixon" movie is that Frost shamefully showed crime pays, as Nixon got a huge payoff for answers he refused to give for free to the American people. 650.
CYR (Cyr, SHNS -- Column) -- The Second World War demanded detailed planning and discipline far above that shown by the Bush White House in current wars. We should give thanks this season that these conflicts are not on the WWII scale. 650.
WALTERS (Walters, Sacramento Bee -- Column) -- The California budget crisis shifts by the minute. 470.
SCRIPPS HOWARD EDITORIALS
EDXMASTREES (Dale McFeatters, SHNS) -- Stolen Christmas trees. 300.
EDCHU (The Providence Journal) -- Steven Chu is a brilliant choice for energy secretary. 250.
EDITORIAL CARTOONS
23ECCLASSICS (John Rose, Byrd Newspapers) -- New takes on Christmas classics.
LIFESTYLE
HOME AND GARDEN
HOMESTYLE-HOME (Garrity, SHNS -- Column) -- Style at Home. Secrets of a stunning Christmas tree. 750. With photo: SH08K155HOMESTYLE.
PLUMBER-HOME (Del Grande, HGTVPro.com -- Column) -- An old shower can be repaired, leaving a wife disappointed since she wanted a new tub and shower. 650. With photo: SH08K156PLUMBER.
DIYHOBBIES-HOME (Fishbein, DIY Network -- Column) -- DIY Hobbies. Turn a notebook into a personalized gift. 350. With photo: SH08K154DIYHOBBIES.
DIYGARDENER-HOME (Lamp'l, DIY Network -- Column) -- Here's why you don't see many gardening shows on TV: The audience isn't there. 700. With photo: SH08K153DIYGARDENER.
BUTTONEDUP-HOME (Rockmore & Welch, getbuttonedup) -- Ideas for entertaining children on Thanksgiving. 700. With illustration: SH08K152BUTTONEDUP.
INTERIORS-HOME (Friedmann, SHNS) -- Creative Environments. When considering the right fabric treatment for windows, several elements should be weighed. 650.
HOMEFIX-HOME (Barnett, SHNS) -- Home Maintenance. With the economy in decline and Christmas just around the corner, almost all of us have to be careful with what we spend, but spend we must to get out of this economic stew. I have found a few tools that are not all that expensive. They can be very useful. 750.
TREASURES-HOME (Fendelman & Rosson, SHNS -- Column) -- Fred Perlberg was a New York designer whose moderately priced party dresses were quite popular for many years. Now many women love those vintage dresses. 550. With photo: SH08K158TREASURES.
101IDEAS-HOME (Home & Garden Television -- Column) -- Holiday decorating ideas. 300. With logo: HGTVLOGO.
GREENTIPS-HOME (HGTV -- Column) -- Not all green design is pricey ... Choose renewable resources. 100.
YARDSMART-HOME (Gilmer, SHNS -- Column) -- Give some thought to what you can do to protect the seed-plant gene pool. 750. With photos: SH08K159YARDSMART, SH08K160YARDSMART.
OTHER HOME AND GARDEN
STAMPROOM (Aguirre, Fresno Bee) -- FRESNO, Calif.: Kathy Chono-Herring created her own "stamp room," where she works on card making and scrap booking. 450. With photo: SH08K157STAMPROOM.
CLEANGUTTERS (Fornoff, San Francisco Chronicle) -- Five tips to help you clean your gutters safely. 200.
SPORTS
COLLEGE FOOTBALL:
FBCBOWLCAPS23 (Lindsay, SHNS) -- Capsule previews of the 15 games between Christmas and New Year's Eve including the Motor City, Mieneke, Champs Sports, Emerald, Independence, PapaJohns.com, Alamo, Humanitarian, Holiday, Texas, Armed Forces, Sun, Music City, Insight and Chick-fil-A Bowls. 2,000.
FBCCARLSON (Carlson, The Oklahoman -- column) -- Oklahoma and coach Bob Stoops brave for the obnoxious and overbearing fans of Gator Nation. 600.
NFL:
COOK (Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -- column) -- Steelers vow revenge for Titans' stomping of Terrible Towels. 770.
KNAPP (Knapp, San Francisco Chronicle -- column) -- 49ers coach Mike Singletary hardly acting like an interim. 800.
NBA:
REYNOLDS (Reynolds, Providence Journal -- column) -- Celtics dominance expands well beyond The Big Three. 850.
BASEBALL:
PATTON (Patton, The Press-Enterprise -- column) -- Sadly for Dodgers and Angels fans, Mark Teixeira and Manny Ramirez show that not everyone is smitten with playing in Southern California. 620.
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