Dateline: Week Of December 8, 2003 In News, Pop, Celebrity, Entertainment, Tech & Fascinating Facts
In The News -
The Supreme Curt rules that Congress could stop the free flow of cash form corporations, unions and the wealthy to fund political parties and buy campaign ads.
Paul Martin gets sworn in as Canada’s 21st prime minister. He promised an ambitious agenda with freshness and clarity.
Iraq – Insurgents open fire on three American convoys. In the end – 54 of them were dead. Five U.S. soldiers were wounded.
The Dow ends above 10,000 for the first time in 18 months
The Kremlin says that Russia will not sign the Kyoto protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
U.S. born Yahya Boga – one of the Lackawanna Six – a group of American recruits to an Al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan – gets 10 years in prison.
Howard Dean accepts the endorsement of Al Gore, who urged Democratic rivals to focus on defeating President Bush.
The Pentagon says it will bar companies from Germany, Russia and France that opposed the war in Iraq from bidding on $18.6 billion in prime reconstruction contracts.
Feeling low - A jury convicts Rep. William Janklow of South Dakota of manslaughter for killing a motorcyclist after running a stop sign. He’s the state’s only congressman.
Station Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian and Dan Biechele (who lit the pyro show) are indicted on 200 counts each of involuntary manslaughter in the deadly Rhode Island nightclub fire.
Passing – Longtime senator Paul Simon (75).
Reacting to ongoing scandals that have rocked the mutual fund industry, the SEC proposes new measures to prevent after-hours trading and other improper practices.
Roy Disney quits the board of the company founded by uncle Walt – and it wasn’t pretty. He and Michael Eisner do not get along.
Fascinating Facts - December 8, 2003 -
The largest prime number is hatched. It is 6,320,430 digits long and would need 1,400 to 1,500 pages to write out. And, it’s more than 2 million digits larger than the previous largest known prime number. You can thank 200,000 computers.
Technology News - December 8, 2003
Anti-spam - Congress approves the first national effort to stem the flood of unwanted e-mail pitches offering prescription drugs, cheap loans and other come ons.
Entertainment/Celebrity News – December 8, 2003
Heidi Fleiss has a new business. The ex call-girl has a shop on Hollywood Blvd called – “Hollywood Madam” and will feature expensive “Heidi wear.”
Dreamworks announces it is taking on an animated project – pitched by Jerry Seinfeld. It’s called “Bee Movie” and Seinfeld will write, produce and provide at least one voice for the movie.
Kennedy Center Awards – honor Carol Burnett, soul brother James Brown, Loretta Lynn, director Mike Nichols and violinist Itzhak Perlman.
FAO Schwarz says it would file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Radio News – December 8, 2003
Premier Radio Networks announces that Ryan Seacrest will be taking the “American Top 40” helm – and out is Casey Kasem.
WKRK-FM Detroit is fined $27,500 by the FCC for airing a show that described sex techniques.
Music News – December 8, 2003
Bobby Brown is charged with battery after a domestic dispute with his wife, Whitney Houston, that left her facial injuries.
Top TV Shows/Ratings/TV Guide – December 8, 2003
Survivor: Pearl Islands – 22.20
CSI – 22.08
ER – 20.72
60 Minutes – 18.70
Movie-Undercover Christmas – 17.32
Everybody Loves Raymond – 16.75
Law & Order – 16.61
Monday Night Football – 16.36
CSI: Miami – 15.49
Cold Case – 15.39
Friends – 14.64
Will & Grace – 14.23
Average Joe – 14.08
Fear Factor – 14.01
Two and a Half Men – 13.81
Without a Trace – 13.72
Television News – December 8, 2003
Frenchie Davis, who was kicked off “American Idol” because she once worked for an adult-oriented website – lands her first professional lead role in a production of “Dreamgirls” in California. She was a top-30 finalist earlier this year – before being kicked off.
Looks like son Jack will be filling in for dad Ozzy as he recovers from an ATV accident on the syndicated “Sharon Osbourne Show.”
On Larry King Live this week – these guests: Laura Bush, Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Carter, Tom Brokaw, Betty Ford.
NBC cancels “The John Walsh Show.”
Top Movies – December 8, 2003 –
The Last Samurai
Honey
The Haunted Mansion
ELF
Dr. Suess’ the Cat in the Hat
Bad Santa
Gothika
The Missing
Master and Commander
Love Actually
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