As video games continue their assent to feature film status, many actors that voice the game’s characters feel their compensation isn’t commensurate with their hard work reports the LA Times.

OK—if you have no idea what this headline means, this one is a little too obscure for you. But if you’re still with me, there’s a good piece in the Wall Street Journal about the true cost of compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley corporate disclosure law.

Online retailers are trying to replicate the experience of shopping in a store by simulating “limited-time, clock-is-ticking discounts” reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Salahis weren’t the first gatecrashers at the White House. A 2003 report obtained by the Washington Post details at least 91 similar instances since the Carter Administration.

There are dozens of stories, columns and editorials looking ahead to the Copenhagen climate meetings, which are underway today. Some of the highlights include a New York Times story about a “revival of skepticism” and a special section in the Wall Street Journal.

A weekend full of headlines later, not much has changed in the Tiger Woods story. It’s only a matter of whether you can keep track of how many women have now been linked to the golfer. The New York Post says there are as many as “Nine Birdies.”

Sarah Palin poked fun at herself as she spoke to a journalists’ dinner. One of her best lines, says USA Today was “From my hotel room, I could see the Russian embassy,”

This made the rounds on Twitter a few days ago, and the New York Times does a nice analysis today of what it means. A news program in Taiwan created a low-budget computer animation of what might have happened in seconds before the Tiger Woods SUV crash. The story says it creates a world of “maybe” journalism. VIDEO

Columbia University is going to allow opposite sex students to become roommates in its dorms, reports the New York Post. The paper asked Dr. Ruth Westheimer to write a guest column on the topic, and she says from a practical point of view the decision makes sense. But she says it will also put more pressure on students. She suggests an alternative: set aside rooms where students can be together for a couple of hours rather than having to live 24/7 together.

The “digital divide” has narrowed in recent years, but as it does a new problem emerges. Teachers start to assume that everybody has an internet-connected computer at home. The Washington Post profiles an 11-year-old girl whose “heart sinks” everytime a teacher suggests she go online to do her homework.

Most of this won’t be new to you if you’re a serious iPhone user. But a New York Times story from writer Jenna Wortham does a nice job of putting the success of Apple’s App Store into perspective. She says it’s been a “game changer” with a “staggering arsenal of functions and tools at the swipe of a finger.”

He’s inspired baseball fans to write hate blogs about him. But there’s more to agent Scott Boras than you’ll learn on I-Hate-Scott-Boras.com. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch profiles the 57 year old “super agent.”

UPDATE: Go ahead and buy those Zhu Zhu pets - if you can find them. The federal government says this year’s hottest holiday toys do not violate safety standards. 

The consumer group Good Guide says one of the hot toys for Christmas, the Zhu Zhu Pet, is unsafe. A report in the Chicago Sun-Times says the distributor of the toy disputes the conclusion and says the product went through rigorous safety checks. The concern came after a test found the chemical antimony in a computerized hamster.

The “Church of Obama” is losing support, writes columnist Dana Millbank in the Washington Post. Millbank says Obama the candidate promised more than he’s delivered: “For all of Obama’s soaring oratory about hope and change, it was plain even during the campaign that his record was that of an incrementalist.”

Terrance Wattanabe was a “whale”—the kind of wealthy gambler a casino loves to have as a regular. The Wall Street Journal says he’s now suing Harrah’s, accusing the casino of helping him to lose $127 million in a year.

A Los Angeles Times investigation concludes the temporary staffing firms that often provide nurses to hospitals are taking “perilous shortcuts” in their hiring. The Times notes the firms often to inadequate background checks, and sometimes ignore warnings that nurses they employ aren’t up to par.

I’m planning to buy our Christmas tree this weekend ... from the place down the block. And I’m confident in that decision after reading about an Oregon couple’s harrowing trip to cut down their own. The Medford Mail Tribune says the couple was stranded in the woods for two freezing nights after their car got stuck in the ice while searching for the perfect Christmas tree.

Window shopping just got a lot more interesting says the LA Times. A store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan is using live models to draw customers in this holiday season. Onlookers can play the voyeur as a pair of scantily clad women “lounge about in frilly underwear, fiddle with their rhinestone bellybutton rings and prance on the sofa.” BONUS: Watch video

Maybe they thought she was bringing an umbrella through the metal detector. The New York Post has photos of a very unhappy looking Rihanna being patted down by security at LAX.

Now that inflight Wi-Fi is becoming standard on most carriers, the Chicago Tribune asks a good question this morning: Which airline has the fastest service? Overall, the paper isn’t impressed, but says AirTran stands out as the clear winner.

The New York Post has a follow up this morning on a story we featured yesterday about the possible safety risks of letting obese people fly on planes. Most airline don’t have set rules about how to deal with overweight passengers, though many airline employees say they have expressed their concern regarding the matter to the FAA.

There’s a perfect intersection of USA Today‘s worlds in this morning’s paper: a business story about a movie about frequent fliers. George Clooney’s new movie, “Up in the Air,” brings to light the elusive and secretive world of “top tier” airline perks.

The Washington Post is one of many papers to give Clooney and “Up in the Air” a glowing review this morning. The paper writes that director Jason Reitman “has taken an enormous leap forward, toggling between comedy and drama, romance and social observation, satire and sorrow with the aplomb of Chesley Sullenberger.”

The Washington Post frames yesterday’s announcement that Comcast will take over NBC Universal as a “battle for television access.” Consumer rights groups are worried that the deal will consolidate too much power in one company. The New York Times has a great piece that focuses on whether or not TV shows should be available for free online. And David Hinckley of the New York Daily News says the deal is good for someone: Tina Fey. In case the “30 Rock” comedian’s well of GE jokes was running dry, she now has an empire to ridicule.

Following his controversial performance at last month’s AMAs, ABC continues to pull Adam Lambert from public performances says the LA Times. The network recently pulled the plug on Lambert’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel and has said that Lambert will not be part of its New Years Rockin’ Eve Telecast.

Religion is getting a makeover in the bars and coffeehouses of Chicago reports the Tribune. The city is the latest to be targeted by church “planters,” organizers who are trying to start “thousands of churches a year that reach people in more culturally relevant ways.”

A Nebraska doctor has stepped in to take over the late-term abortion cause after the murder of Dr. George Tiller in May. The New York Times profiles Leroy Carhart, who has hired two of Tiller’s former employees and trained his own staff in late-term abortion procedures.

Ben Bernanke was arguing for his job yesterday in front of a Senate panel, which convened to evaluate whether the Fed Chairman should be given another four-year term. The Wall Street Journal reports that Bernanke admitted that mistakes had been made dealing with last year’s financial crisis but that his “actions helped save America from another Great Depression.”

The down economy is creating a new demographic says Kansas City Star: “recession widows.” As positions dry up close to home, more and more people are looking for work in other cities, which, the paper says, can put a strain on families.

Reading and writing in English are no longer skills required for some high school graduates in Oregon. The state’s Board of Education has decided that foreign-born students who have lived in the US for less than five years can satisfy reading and writing requirements in their native language reports the Oregonian.

What’s the appeal of University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow? His “spirit is contagious” says USA Today.  Tebow’s coach was moved to tears last week when asked about the end of the 22-year-old’s time as a Gator.

Fans of the Chicago Cubs are always looking for a reason as to why their team consistently performs so terribly. And the Tribune says some people are pointing fingers at Norman Rockwell. The iconic painter is responsible for a 1948 illustration of the Cubs wearing their signature expression: dejection.

Christmas almost started with a bang after a Georgia man dressed as an elf caused a mall evacuation reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The “bad elf”  purportedly left three packages of dynamite near Santa’s chair.

Remember the days when it was considered impersonal to give cash for the holidays? Those days are long gone writes the Boston Globe. Banks say there has been a run on gold bullion in the weeks leading up to Christmas as “44 percent of consumers say they are planning to give the gift of green” this year.

Even the horned animal seen in most yards during the holiday season is a (plastic) reindeer, the Philadelphia Inquirer decided to profile a different one in this morning’s paper. The goat is not only a cute addition to any lawn, “nature’s weed-eaters” are a chemical-free solution to a yard gone wild.

The Washington Post frames yesterday’s announcement that Comcast will take over NBC Universal as a “battle for television access.” Consumer rights groups are worried that the deal will consolidate too much power in one company. The New York Times has a great piece that focuses on whether or not TV shows should be available for free online. And David Hinckley of the New York Daily News says the deal is good for someone: Tina Fey. In case the “30 Rock” comedian’s well of GE jokes was running dry, she now has an empire to ridicule.

Following his controversial performance at last month’s AMAs, ABC continues to pull Adam Lambert from public performances says the LA Times. The network recently pulled the plug on Lambert’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel and has said that Lambert will not be part of its New Years Rockin’ Eve Telecast.

Religion is getting a makeover in the bars and coffeehouses of Chicago reports the Tribune. The city is the latest to be targeted by church “planters,” organizers who are trying to start “thousands of churches a year that reach people in more culturally relevant ways.”

A Nebraska doctor has stepped in to take over the late-term abortion cause after the murder of Dr. George Tiller in May. The New York Times profiles Leroy Carhart, who has hired two of Tiller’s former employees and trained his own staff in late-term abortion procedures.

Ben Bernanke was arguing for his job yesterday in front of a Senate panel, which convened to evaluate whether the Fed Chairman should be given another four-year term. The Wall Street Journal reports that Bernanke admitted that mistakes had been made dealing with last year’s financial crisis but that his “actions helped save America from another Great Depression.”

Christmas almost started with a bang after a Georgia man dressed as an elf caused a mall evacuation reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The “bad elf”  purportedly left three packages of dynamite near Santa’s chair.

Remember the days when it was considered impersonal to give cash for the holidays? Those days are long gone writes the Boston Globe. Banks say there has been a run on gold bullion in the weeks leading up to Christmas as “44 percent of consumers say they are planning to give the gift of green” this year.

Some of you reached your saturation point on the Tiger Woods story the same day it broke. I’m getting very close to mine, but have to admit I found this idea for a sidebar story irresistible today.  The New York Daily News interviewed zookeepers about whether real tigers are inclined to be monogamous.

USA Today has a less sensational spin on the Tiger Woods story in this morning’s paper. The front page story looks at the balance between privacy and public scrutiny that celebrities face. Pointing out the recent controversy surrounding Woods, the paper says that “if you make $1 billion, about 90% from endorsements, there is a terrible level on which your private life becomes public property.”

The Wall Street Journal has a special section in today’s paper about what you should do with your money in 2010. Six financial advisers give their advice on where to put your cash, converting traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs and changes in the tax code.

Maybe his profile picture was too small. The Orlando Sentinel has the story of a bachelor who’s tired of Internet dating. So he put up a billboard advertising his search for love. The Florida man is offering $1,000 to anyone who can introduce him to the woman of his dreams.

I guess you have to go back to the 70s and gold chains to get to the last time “man cleavage” was in style.  According to the Wall Street Journal, it’s back. Fashion insiders say the look is inspired by “the unabashed machismo of Latin American men.”

With winter on its way, the Denver Post has a useful article this morning about finding the right coat for every occasion - and temperature. The Post says high quality wool coats are a classy alternative to the warm bubble variety.

There’s an update on Tom Ford’s new career in the New York Times this morning. He’s left fashion for film. And the early buzz from the critics is that his movie “A Single Man” is good.

The New York State Senate voted against a bill that would make same sex marriage legal in the state. The Times says the decision came as a blow to gay rights activists, who have poured millions into Senate races all over New York.

‘Tis the season for uncomfortable chitchat says the Boston Globe. With holiday parties and gatherings with the in-laws piling up, the paper has a guide to making small talk with people you avoid for the rest of the year.

The allegations against wannabe reality star Michaele Salahi continue to mount in the Washington Post this morning. The paper says despite Salahi’s claim that she was a Redskins cheerleader, none of her former teammates can remember her.

It’s going to be a green Christmas at the White House this year reports the Chicago Tribune. The Obamas will decorate an 18 and a half foot Douglas fir with recycled ornaments and strings of LED lights.

The “Great Communicator” is now available via your iPhone. Yes, that’s right. There is now a Ronald Reagan app reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

Facebook has its game face on says the San Jose Mercury News. A slew of games created for the social networking site has popped up in recent months. Experts estimate that the “social gaming sector” is now worth several billion dollars.

A man, outfitted with a robotic arm after a serious car accident, says he was able to control his new arm using his mind. The Boston Globe reports that scientists believe the man was able to feel sensations because his “biomechanic hand [was] connected to his nervous system.”

The New York Post prints a photograph taken by an American Airlines flight attendant of a seriously overweight man on one of her flights.  The flight attendant says she snapped the photo not to be mean but to make a point to the airline that airport agents have to book two seats when somebody this big wants to get on a flight.

A group researchers who gave heart screenings to a group of sixth graders were shocked by their findings says the Houston Chronicle. The tests revealed seven children with undiagnosed heart conditions, and two which required immediate surgery.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a man died in the ER waiting room of a local hospital eleven minutes after he signed in. The staff didn?t notice he had died for almost an hour but a fellow patient did - and proceeded to steal the dead man’s watch.

Three days after a California family was killed in a traffic accident, a couple was arrested for burglarizing their vacant home reports the San Jose Mercury News. Police suspect the pair targeted the home after reading about the accident in the news.

The Seattle Times says it was the trusted aunt of the man accused of killing four Washington police officers that finally told authorities where Maurice Clemmons was hiding. The paper has a riveting interview with the woman, who recounts the events leading up her decision to turn in her nephew.

There is one important present that many people forget about in the busy holiday season says the Cleveland Plain-Dealer: a gift for your host or hostess. According to writer Susan Love, an invitation to a cocktail party doesn’t require a gift but for a dinner party you should come armed with a little something under $25.

Nominations for this year’s Grammy awards were announced yesterday and it will be a three-horse race between Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga says the LA Times. The three garnered a combined 23 nominations.

I guess you have to go back to the 70s and gold chains to get to the last time “man cleavage” was in style.  According to the Wall Street Journal, it’s back. Fashion insiders say the look is inspired by “the unabashed machismo of Latin American men.”

There’s an update on Tom Ford’s new career in the New York Times this morning. He’s left fashion for film. And the early buzz from the critics is that his movie “A Single Man” is good.

‘Tis the season for uncomfortable chitchat says the Boston Globe. With holiday parties and gatherings with the in-laws piling up, the paper has a guide to making small talk with people you avoid for the rest of the year.

It’s going to be a green Christmas at the White House this year reports the Chicago Tribune. The Obamas will decorate an 18 and a half foot Douglas fir with recycled ornaments and strings of LED lights.

The New York Post prints a photograph taken by an American Airlines flight attendant of a seriously overweight man on one of her flights.  The flight attendant says she snapped the photo not to be mean but to make a point to the airline that airport agents have to book two seats when somebody this big wants to get on a flight.

A group researchers who gave heart screenings to a group of sixth graders were shocked by their findings says the Houston Chronicle. The tests revealed seven children with undiagnosed heart conditions, and two which required immediate surgery.

Nominations for this year’s Grammy awards were announced yesterday and it will be a three-horse race between Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga says the LA Times. The three garnered a combined 23 nominations.

UPDATE: Tiger admits “transgressions” in online statement.

The New York Post says “buxom beauties” are “coming out of the Woodswork” now that Tiger Woods’ behavior is in the spotlight. The paper cites an Us Weekly report, in which Los Angeles cocktail waitress details a 31-month affair. LISTEN to voice mail.

A recruit for the US Navy may not see active duty because of a tattoo on her “saluting arm” reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Navy became the only branch of the military to ban “markings on the right arm below the elbow” when it quietly extended a rule about tattoos last week.

The details of President Obama’s Afghanistan plan were well reported in advance of his speech last night, so this morning the papers are busy analyzing his decision and what it means.  The president made five strong points, says an editorial in the Chicago Tribune. The LA Times writes that the president focused on “time as an ally” in the fight against al-Queda forces in the country. And the New York Post points out that while the president presented an exit strategy, he never used the word “win.”

Fritz Henderson, the CEO of General Motors, abruptly announced his resignation yesterday, prompting a scramble to find a new leader for the company reports the Detroit Free Press. The paper says Henderson’s daughter lashed out at GM’s Chairman “in an obscenity-laden Internet posting and said her father was asked to step down.”

If you were hoping to catch a glimpse of the next DeLorean at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week, too bad. Automakers are pushing inexpensive and practical cars in an attempt to climb out of the “worst sales slump in decades.”  In other words, says the LA Times, vehicles that will sell.

If New Yorkers were offered free parking in Manhattan in exchange for switching to electric cars, I imagine it would only be a matter of days before the whole city dumped their gas guzzlers. Denmark is giving away parking and drastically discounting electric cars to entice potential buyers. But the New York Times says people are still worried about being dependent on batteries.

Stamp collecting is, apparently, so last season. The Chicago Tribune says the newest craze amongst hobbyists is making lightning. As the equipment for homemade lightning becomes readily available on the Internet, the number of people experimenting with the pastime is growing. BONUS: Watch video

If you decide to get married in California, you better mean it. There is a movement gaining steam in the state to ban divorce. Yes, that’s right. The measure is meant “to be a satirical statement after California voters outlawed gay marriage in 2008” writes the San Francisco Chronicle.

A three-year-old boy was rescued after spending two and a half days at sea reports the Orlando Sentinel. The boy’s dad faces a felony charge of “international parental kidnapping.”

Talk about from rags to riches. A pair of poor brothers, who live in a cave in Hungary, are about to experience a serious upgrade says the New York Post. The brothers are in line to inherit a whopping $6.6 billion from their long-lost grandmother.

A warning for anyone thinking of committing a crime in Alabama: Jesus Christ is in the jury pool. The Birmingham News says it wasn’t a ploy to get out of serving when a 59-year-old woman turned up for jury duty after legally changing her name to Jesus Christ.

Dick Clark’s determination as host of his Rockin’ New Year’s Eve is the central example as the Wall Street Journal asks when it’s “time to pass the baton” on to the next generation.

Another government bailout could be in the works says the Wall Street Journal -  for the newspaper industry. At a workshop yesterday, FTC officials said the agency will study whether the government should come to the aid of newspapers as the Internet continues to erode their business model.

What do Michael Jackson, Facebook and the “Twilight” series have in common? They top the list of most popular Internet searches for 2009. The Chicago Tribune has the full list in today’s paper.

Your wallet is about to get a lot lighter. The Denver Post has an interesting article on the future of credit cards in today’s paper. Companies are experimenting with technology that could transform a credit card into a sticker you place on your cell phone.

If you open the freezer more than the refrigerator when cooking dinner, you won’t want to miss this detailed graphic in the Washington Post. It’s a guide that covers everything from different methods of freezing to how long certain foods can survive on ice.

Now that your Thanksgiving leftovers are dwindling, you’re probably on the lookout for some new dishes. The Boston Globe prints a roundup of great recipes for Sunday dinners in this morning’s paper.

The New York Times has a special section on winter drinks in today’s paper. And there’s an interesting piece on choosing a great rum. The Times says despite what you may have heard, an older rum is not necessarily a better one.

It may be tiny, but the ukulele has a lot of fans says the New York Daily News. The paper says because of its small size and low cost, the four-string instrument “appeals to both amateurs and professional musicians.”

The details of President Obama’s Afghanistan plan were well reported in advance of his speech last night, so this morning the papers are busy analyzing his decision and what it means.  The president made five strong points, says an editorial in the Chicago Tribune. The LA Times writes that the president focused on “time as an ally” in the fight against al-Queda forces in the country. And the New York Post points out that while the president presented an exit strategy, he never used the word “win.”

Fritz Henderson, the CEO of General Motors, abruptly announced his resignation yesterday, prompting a scramble to find a new leader for the company reports the Detroit Free Press. The paper says Henderson’s daughter lashed out at GM’s Chairman “in an obscenity-laden Internet posting and said her father was asked to step down.”

If you decide to get married in California, you better mean it. There is a movement gaining steam in the state to ban divorce. Yes, that’s right. The measure is meant “to be a satirical statement after California voters outlawed gay marriage in 2008” writes the San Francisco Chronicle.

A warning for anyone thinking of committing a crime in Alabama: Jesus Christ is in the jury pool. The Birmingham News says it wasn’t a ploy to get out of serving when a 59-year-old woman turned up for jury duty after legally changing her name to Jesus Christ.

Dick Clark’s determination as host of his Rockin’ New Year’s Eve is the central example as the Wall Street Journal asks when it’s “time to pass the baton” on to the next generation.

What do Michael Jackson, Facebook and the “Twilight” series have in common? They top the list of most popular Internet searches for 2009. The Chicago Tribune has the full list in today’s paper.

There are two good side-by-side stories in the Washington Post about out of control reality TV wannabes, which both try to get to the bottom of the recent proliferation of reality-star driven scandals.

They don’t care if you’ve been naughty or nice - they just want to know if you are legal or not. The Houston Chronicle says some toy drives insist on checking a child’s immigration status this season before handing over any presents. Bah, Humbug.

Scientists believe we have a natural urge to help.The New York Times talks to a developmental psychologist who says an 18-month-old child will immediately try to help if an adult with his hands full needs a door opened or drops something.

Loneliness, it turns out, is contagious. A new study has found that feelings of isolation can pass through social groups, just like the flu. The Chicago Tribune says women are more likely to pick up on the loneliness of friends than men.

The Wall Street Journal has a story in this morning’s paper that I have to point out because it’s so scary.  If you want to get a job as a pilot with a big airline like United you need about 5000 hours of experience. The Journal interviews a guy who got a job with a commuter airline after logging only 383 hours of flying time.

The man suspected of killing four police officers in Washington has been shot and killed by an officer investigating a car jacking reports the Seattle Times this morning. The news broke too late to make the paper, but the Times reports that Maurice Clemmons had the gun of one of the deceased cops on him when he was killed.

Times are changing in the NFL writes the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. No longer are players expected to be tough guys as both fans and ex-players urge caution over invincibility.

The Washington Post leads this morning with leaked details from President Obama’s speech on Afghanistan, which he will deliver tonight. The president will send 34,000 additional troops to the region says the Post, putting the total US presence at just over 100,000.

President Obama’s decision to lift a 22-year travel ban for people with AIDS is being hailed by those suffering from the disease and their family members. The Chicago Tribune says the ban will be lifted in January of next year, allowing AIDS patients to travel to and from the US without restrictions.

The future of health care sounds stranger than fiction. But the Minneapolis Star Tribune says the day when “growing your own organs, being cared for by robotic nurses, or popping anti-aging pills” is as common as a routine checkup will be here sooner than you think.

Recent controversy about the exaggeration of climate change data prompted MIT professor Richard Lindzen to take to the opinion page of today’s Wall Street Journal with a counterpoint on global warming.

The New York Daily News may just have the quote of the day. They spoke with Victoria’s Secret model Selita Ebanks ahead of tonight’s annual lingerie fashion show. She says: “People don’t realize there are about 20 layers of makeup on my butt alone.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer says there are wedding bells in the near future for Chelsea Clinton. She let the news of her engagement out in a Happy Thanksgiving email a few days ago. Her fiancee is her longtime boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky.

When the Eggo factory flooded a couple weeks ago, leaving a drought of waffles in supermarket freezers across the country, the Boston Globe‘s Doug Most was faced with a tough question: What do I feed my kids for breakfast now?  He turned to a dozen chefs for suggestions and prints a really useful list in this morning’s paper.

If you have a video game lover in the family, there’s an article in the Washington Post‘s kid section you won’t want to miss. It’s a comprehensive roundup of the best games in stores this holiday season.

In a front page story titled “Tiger & Me” the New York Post delivers an exclusive interview with alleged Tiger Woods mistress Rachel Uchitel. The lengthy interview basically adds to her previous denials of a relationship with Woods.

You can throw away your collection of voodoo dolls. The Internet has made it even easier to exact revenge on your enemies says the Wall Street Journal. Not only does “webtribution” provide a “maximum amount of pain,” you can “ruin someone’s life” from the comfort of your couch, between commercial breaks.

Writer Cormac McCarthy picked up his typewriter in a pawnshop in 1963. It’s served him well, reports the New York Times. He estimates he’s typed 5 million words. He’s decided to replace it (with the same model) and has put the old one up for auction.

At age 100, Mary Arnott has finally got her high school diploma. She had to drop out 80 years ago when her mother died says the New York Daily News. But now her former school on Staten Island has given her an honorary diploma.