Octuplets — six boys and two girls — born in California

By Calvin Palmer
A woman in southern California today gave birth to octuplets, the world’s second live-born set of octuplets.
The two physicians who helped in the deliveries said they were only expecting seven babies.  Instead, they got six boys and two girls.
“My eyes got to be the size of saucers,” Dr. Karen Maples said when it became [...]

Smoke gets in your eyes but coffee staves off dementia

By Calvin Palmer
Cigarettes and coffee have been part of my life for more years than I can remember.  The two go together in perfect harmony and fire me up for the day.  After a mug of coffee and three cigarettes, I am ready to take on anything a harsh world can throw at me.
And that [...]

Corporate America and Europe hemorrhage jobs

By Calvin Palmer
Today, corporate America and companies in Europe, faced by falling profits, reduced demand and a gloomy forecast of lowered global growth from the International Monetary Fund, announced job losses totaling more than 70,000 in an attempt to reduce costs and keep their business afloat.
Caterpillar, the world’s largest maker of heavy equipment, said it [...]

Pilot accused of soliciting 12-year-old Texas boy in explicit text messages

By Calvin Palmer
A pilot from Minnesota accused of solicitation of a minor asked the 12-year-old boy to send him a picture of him doing something like holding a sign with his name or wearing a certain color T-shirt, a district court in Harris County heard today.
Prosecutor Eric Devlin said that 28-year-old Steven Donald Anderson asked [...]

Italian group buys majority stake in New York landmark building

By Calvin Palmer
Italian real estate investor Sorgente Group has just bought a majority stake in New York’s landmark Flatiron Building and plans to turn it into a luxury hotel.
The group, based in Rome, would not reveal how much it paid for its share of the 22-story building, which is estimated to be worth $190 million.
“This is one [...]

Global financial crisis claims Iceland’s government

By Calvin Palmer
Iceland’s coalition government collapsed today and becomes the first government to fall because of the global financial crisis.
Prime Minister Geir Haarde announced he would hand in his resignation to President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson.
“I really regret that we could not continue with this coalition. I believe that that would have been the best result,” [...]

Study identifies three factors to guide preventative mastectomy decision

By Calvin Palmer
Researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have identified three factors that can determine whether a woman with cancer in one breast should decide to have a double mastectomy to prevent cancer in the other breast.
“Our goal is to help women make more informed decisions, based on their individual case [...]

School basketball coach fired following team’s 100-0 win

By Calvin Palmer
The coach of the Dallas high school basketball team that chalked up a 100-0 victory over another school was fired yesterday.
Coach Micah Grimes also posted a message yesterday on a youth basketball Web site, saying he disagreed with school officials who had publicly apologized for The Covenant School’s 100-0 victory over The Dallas [...]