Hot off the Press: The world was supposed to end nine years ago edition

A Jewish professor at UC Santa Barbara is accused of being anti-Semitic after comparing Israel's actions in Gaza with the Nazis and the Holocaust: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-professor30-2009apr30,0,7753995.story.

The Japanese Detroit has hit hard times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/business/global/30toyota.html?em.

When rich people build monuments: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/us/30arch.html?ref=us.

In a desperate attempt to get attention (and tourist dollars), Ottumwa had declared itself the "Video Game Capital of the World": http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090430/NEWS02/904300366. Seriously? I wonder how this will compete with Iowa's Largest Frying Pan in Brandon, the World's Largest Wooden Nickel in IC, and the World's Largest Strawberry in Strawberry Point.

"American Made" in Korea, Germany, or Mexico: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/uptospeed/2009/04/if-buying-american-is-your-choice-check-the-first-digit-first.html.

Yet another reason I hate corporate, commercial, cable news: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-et-onthemedia1-2009may01,0,3878187.column. News should be timely, clear, and unbiased information, not noisy editorialization between commercials.

As my generation matures and advances, so does our favorite sport: Ultimate: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/fashion/30fitness.html?em.

For those who can't afford it, it's getting tougher and tougher to pay for college: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/education/01college.html?ref=us. As someone who worked my way through college, I seriously feel for these kids.

Iowa City and a Louisiana town posted the lowest March unemployment numbers in a survey of 372 metro areas: http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090501/NEWS01/905010324/1079.

Blagojevich stencil graffiti is popping up all over Chicago: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-talk-blago-artistmay01,0,640730.story.

A partially finished housing development near Chicago has become a suburban dumping ground: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-trashed-townhouses-w-zone-01may01,0,3224239.story. Of course, the developers are nowhere to be found.

Good headline: Generation why me?: http://www.thestar.com/recession/article/627857. My idea of success differs from the consumer norm -- starting families is not something people should be doing in their 20s -- but I'm sure it will now be hard for a lot of people in my generation to live their (shallow) dreams.

Home foreclosures in the west bring "green pools": http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-foreclose-pools3-2009may03,0,854415.story.

Uncertainty and hard times in Warren, Michigan: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-warren3-2009may03,0,1755859.story.

Dead lawns at foreclosed homes are being painted green: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-spray-painted-grass2-2009may02,0,5760419.story.

Bike Week in Myrtle Beach is canceled...sort of: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/us/03myrtle.html?_r=1&ref=us. This is the first newspaper article I've read quoting a YouTube video.

Sex Ed in North Carolina has become Text Ed: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/fashion/03sexed.html?ref=us.

Some school districts are considering four-day weeks: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-four-day4-2009may04,0,5367225.story.

Two hit-and-runs, two completely different reactions: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hitandrun4-2009may04,0,4436957.story.

So long Mexico, hello Catalina: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-catalina3-2009may03,0,7902252.story. I haven't been to Catalina, yet.

Nobody in the Pentagon seems to care about overpaying for things: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/world/americas/04contract.html?ref=us. I wonder how they'd feel if they had the Department of Education's budget.

More and more Brazilians are bullet proofing their cars: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/world/americas/04brazil.html.

New and unsold homes in Victorville (one of those SoCal desert boomtowns I can't understand why people would want to live in) are being demolished: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-demolish5-2009may05,0,4930126.story.