Los Angeles Times, by Shari Roan Posted By: Photoonist- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:58:54 GMT The maternity business has experienced a recession, too, it appears. Births fell 4% from 2007 to 2009, the biggest drop for any two'year period since the mid'1970s, according to federal government data released Thursday. The rate, 66.7 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, isn't the lowest in recent memory. The 1997 rate was an all'time low of 63.6. But the authors of the report say preliminary data show the birth rate continued falling through the first half of 2010. (Snip) Fewer families are having more than two children. Almost 75% of births in 2009 were first or second

Associated Press, by Gabrielle Steinhauser Posted By: Photoonist- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:56:07 GMT Microsoft Corp. escalated its attack on Google Inc. by complaining to European regulators Thursday that its fiercest rival is an Internet bully that abuses its dominance of online search and advertising. The allegations against Google crystallize the piecemeal gripes that Microsoft has been making about Google's business practices for the past few years. (Snip) This marks the first time that Microsoft has lodged a formal antitrust complaint with a government agency against one of its own rivals. In doing so, Microsoft hopes to encourage the European Commission to dig deeper into an investigation opened four months ago into Google's business practices.

Big Journalism, by Andrew Breitbart Posted By: KarenJ1- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:51:51 GMT Try to remember how you felt on the days after the horrible events of September 11, 2001. I remember our country experiencing something close to Dr. Elisabeth Kübler'Ross’s famous stages of grief. Except instead of “acceptance” being the final stage, our nation swelled with an enormous sense of patriotism and resolve best represented by the bi'partisan members of Congress singing “God Bless America” on the steps of the Capitol, President George W. Bush’s rallying rescue workers on a pile of rubble, and flags being flown on almost every porch in America.

The Hill, by Russell Berman Posted By: Desert Fox- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:44:36 GMT A small but vocal group of Tea Party activists gathered outside the Capitol on Thursday to urge House Republican leaders to hold the line and push for deeper spending cuts in the federal budget. Chanting, “Cut it or shut it” and “We want less,” the activists directed their ire at Senate Democrats, arguing that the cuts they have demanded are not “extreme,” but necessary to right the nation’s fiscal ship.

Christian Science Monitor, by Anna Mulrine Posted By: NorthernDog- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:44:03 GMT Washington ' Libyan rebels are disorganized, on the defensive, and in desperate need of training, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told Congress on Thursday. But none of that is likely to change the Pentagon’s operations or the White House’s political calculus in the weeks ahead, he added. The US military’s mission remains “much more limited” than America’s stated political objective – namely, ousting Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi. The US military will not provide any troops on the ground in Libya, either to aid operations or to train the rebels, Secretary Gates assured lawmakers.

Washington Times, by Kerry Picket Posted By: KarenJ1- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:42:42 GMT Barack Obama has some 'splaining to do about tax payers' profitable "investment" in General Motors. It turns out the president is imagining things. Though Democrats tout the auto bailout as a success, recent reports illustrate the taxpayer cost of the GM auto bailout was substantially larger than the Obama administration and a Congressional Oversight report has owned up to. "American taxpayers are now positioned to recover more than my administration invested in GM,” President Obama said, according to a piece in USA Today last November. Steven Rattner, former head of the Treasury's auto

The Local [Sweden], by Staff Posted By: Photoonist- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:42:25 GMT Sweden's government has announced plans to chart the extent of Islamophobia and anti'Semitism in the country, as it attempts to counteract the spread of intolerance towards minorities. (Snip) “Anti'Semitism and Islamophobia are particularly serious, since they are forms of ideologized hatred,” Ullenhag told The Local. The minister said he had noted a tendency in the Swedish debate whereby both Jews and Muslims in Sweden were held collectively accountable for matters over which they had no control. “Jews in Sweden are held accountable for what the Israeli government does, and the Muslim group has been met with suspicion ever since the

CBS News, by Lucy Madison Posted By: Photoonist- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:38:53 GMT Despite a recent poll indicating an all'time low in President Obama's popularity, a new survey shows that young voters are increasingly happy with the president's performance. According to the study, released on Thursday by Harvard University's Institute of Politics (IOP), 55 percent of 18' to 29'year'olds approve of the president's job performance ' up six points from a similar survey in October. Among those respondents currently enrolled in a four'year college, the president fared even better: 60 percent of those surveyed said they approved of the president's performance, up nine points from October.

Daily Caller, by Chris Moody Posted By: KarenJ1- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:34:24 GMT Sen. Scott Brown called Republican efforts to cut government spending “irresponsible” and urged party leaders to get over their ideology and find an agreement on a final resolution to the government through the fiscal year. The Massachusetts Republican sent a letter to Senate leaders of both parties Thursday urging them to end their squabble over the budget, drop the ideological games and come to an agreement, adding that he was “disappointed” in their behavior so far. Brown started by scolding the leaders, who are currently in negotiations for a long'term budget deal.

BBC News, by Staff Posted By: Photoonist- Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:33:20 GMT The US will put no "boots on the ground" in Libya, US defence Robert Gates secretary has reaffirmed, after it emerged President Obama authorised covert CIA aid to rebels. Mr Gates told Congress the US would limit its contribution to providing capabilities other nations could not. Adm Mike Mullen said the operation had already degraded Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi's forces by up to 25%. (Snip) In testimony to the House armed services committee on Thursday, Mr Gates said: "I can't speak to any CIA activities but I will tell you that the president has been quite clear that in