Business News

• Alcoa to slash jobs and sell 4 units (Reuters) -

  Reuters - Alcoa Inc said on Tuesday it would slash more than 15,000 jobs, halve capital spending and sell four businesses as it reduces aluminum production in the face of the global economic downturn.

  
  
• Stocks rise on stimulus plan hopes (Reuters) -

  Reuters - Stocks gained on Tuesday on the increased likelihood of a government stimulus package after the release of minutes from the last Federal Reserve policy meeting painted a dismal picture of the U.S. economy.

  
  
• U.S. budget deficit seen topping $1 trillion in 2009 (Reuters) - Reuters - Politicians want American consumers to resume spending to pull the economy out of its tailspin, and the U.S. government is leading by example with a potential $1 trillion deficit in 2009 -- even before a massive stimulus plan.
• Fed and other agencies to join U.S. fraud task force (Reuters) - Reuters - The U.S. government is beefing up a task force to fight mortgage crimes and safeguard federal financial bailouts, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday.
• Court backs $631 million judgment against Boeing (Reuters) -

  Reuters - A California court has approved a jury verdict against Boeing Co , which means the plane maker and defense contractor must pay former customer ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Ltd $631 million in damages, according to ICO on Tuesday.

  
  
• London stocks continue bounce (AFP) -

  AFP - FTSE 100 stocks continued their New Year bounce on Tuesday as investors looked forward to possible interest rate cuts and further government aid in 2009.

  
  
• Leading Democrat offers mortgage aid bill (Reuters) - Reuters - The second-ranking Democrat of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday introduced legislation that would let bankruptcy judges erase some mortgage debt in an effort to stem foreclosures.
• Madoff scandal, SEC role under scrutiny (AP) -

  AP - Two more months of mortgage payments and retiree Allan Goldstein says he'll be broke, just another victim in what may be the biggest Ponzi scheme in history.

  
  
• Goody's liquidates remaining US stores (AP) - AP - Discount clothing chain Goody's Family Clothing will begin liquidating its stores on Friday as the retailer becomes one of the year's first victims of the worsening economy.

Entertainment News

• Best-selling "God" author faces plagiarism claim (AP) - AP - Neale Donald Walsch, best-selling author of "Conversations with God," said Tuesday that he unwittingly passed off another writer's Christmas anecdote as his own in a recent blog post.
• Attorney: Charge against Brolin to be dropped (AP) -

  AP - It's not exactly a presidential pardon, but prosecutors have agreed to drop charges filed against "W." actors Josh Brolin and Jeffrey Wright after an incident a Louisiana bar last year.

  
  
• Tom & Katie: NYC's Next Real Estate Moguls? (E! Online) -

  E! Online - Are Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes trying to give Donald Trump a run for his New York City real estate money?

  
  
• Batman, Iron Man, Kidman Clash Over F/X Oscar (E! Online) -

  E! Online - Indy, we hardly knew ya.

  
  
• Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Wright Cleared in Bar Brawl (E! Online) -

  E! Online - Looks like there'll be no need for a presidential pardon for this W. crew.

  
  
• Prosecutors to Polanski: All is not forgiven (AP) -

  AP - Fugitive director Roman Polanski received a message from prosecutors in a sexually explicit court motion Tuesday that all is not forgiven and they will fight dismissal of a three-decade-old conviction for raping a 13-year-old.

  
  
• Wii boosts UK games sales, music resilient (Reuters) - Reuters - British retailers sold a record combined number of DVDs, games and music in 2008 despite the economic gloom, boosted by the popularity of Nintendo's Wii and single downloads, trade bodies said on Wednesday.
• Anna Nicole Smith judged cleared of wrongdoing (AP) -

  AP - Authorities say the former judge who presided in the dispute over Anna Nicole Smith's remains has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

  
  
• Prime-Time Metered Market Monday Ratings: The Fiesta Bowl Leads Fox to Victory; Compatible True Beauty on ABC (Mediaweek.com) - Mediaweek.com - -Yesterday's Losers (excluding repeats): Momma's Boys (NBC)
• 'Hedda Gabler', Starring Parker, Cerveris, Stormare and Sparks, Begins Broadway Run (Playbill) - Playbill - Tony Award winner Mary-Louise Parker exercises a trigger finger starting Jan. 6, with the first Broadway preview of Christopher Shinn's new adaptation of Hedda Gabler, the Henrik Ibsen classic about an unhappily married woman in 1880s Norway.
• Anna Nicole Smith judged cleared of wrongdoing (AP) -

  AP - Authorities say the former judge who presided in the dispute over Anna Nicole Smith's remains has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

  
  
• All About the Hair at the "Bride Wars" Premiere (Fashion Wire Daily) -

  Fashion Wire Daily - You'd think that at a movie premiere for a flick called "Bride Wars" would be all about the dresses, but in New York on Monday night, it was all about the hair.

  
  
• Cuba opens Hemingway archives to scholars (Reuters) -

  Reuters - Cuba on Monday made the first of thousands of digitized documents, photographs and books that belonged to writer Ernest Hemingway available to scholars after the items languished for decades in the basement of his home outside of Havana.

  
  

Gift Basket News

• Gourmet Food Gift Baskets Delivered
• Birthday Gift Ideas by Adorable Gift Baskets to Brighten Someone's Birthday
• Superior Gift Baskets for Every Person - Every Occasion
• Popcorn Gift Baskets Delivered. Popcorn Makes Fun Gifts for Folks of All Ages
• Gift Baskets Delivered. Food Baskets, Fruit Baskets, Cookies, Gifts and Care Package Delivery
• Last Minute Gifts, Gift baskets delivered today, same day gift basket delivery. Send gourmet food, fruit, flowers, balloons, and gifts today!
• Last Minute Holiday Gift Baskets and Gifts Delivered Fast, Last minute holiday gifts, same day Christmas presents and gift delivery.
• Gourmet Food Gift Baskets Delivered
• Holiday Fruit Baskets; great gift idea for the holidays
• Holiday Gift Baskets; An Easy Solution to the Holiday Rush
• GIFT BASKETS FOR HER; Pampering Bath and Body Gifts for Women
• Are you in a Christmas Shopping Frenzy? Try Last Minute Holiday Gift Baskets!
• NEW HOLIDAY GIFT BASKETS! Search our huge variety of holiday gift baskets perfect for business and personal gift giving.
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Holiday Gift Box, Show Your Adoration with Heavenly Chocolate Baskets by Adorable Gift Baskets
• Get Well Gifts, Gift Baskets and Get Well Gift Ideas by Adorable Gift Baskets

• Wordpress Themes