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.

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 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.

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.

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.

The University of California of Irvine has come up with the antidote for skipping class: a video game major. The LA Times says the four-year degree in Game Science will be offered beginning next year, though some skeptics have already started to question whether the discipline is just “fun and games.”

The premise might seem like the punchline for a joke says the Washington Post, but the mission at Michigan’s Med Grow Cannabis College is a serious one: to teach students how to grow and care for marijuana plants.

Call it the “Hail Mary pass of religion” writes the Newark Star-Ledger. A New Jersey church is trying to entice men into attending Sunday worship by offering an NFL-themed service.

Who knew that someone was keeping a list of the foods most commonly involved in kitchen knife mishaps? The Wall Street Journal looks at the persistent problem of BRI (bagel-related injuries) and two inventions that are vying for a solution.

Don’t listen to Jerry Seinfeld says the LA Times. Pharmacists do much more than just move pills from big bottles to smaller ones. The paper says with their six to eight years of education, pharmacists are a “vital, if under-used, part of healthcare.”

For many people, a fear of weight gain hinders their ability to quit smoking. But a new study has found that those who begin a weight loss program and a smoking cessation program at the same time are more likely to succeed at both reports the Boston Globe.

There was something other than sweat and pounds shed at last week’s Philadelphia marathon says the Inquirer. The sheer amount of clothing abandoned on the course has created a new recycling program in the city that gathers clothes from the race route and distributes them to homeless shelters.

The next day laborer you hire to help around the house might be a US citizen, reports USA Today. Casual jobs traditionally filled by under-the-table migrant workers are being sought by experienced construction workers, especially in markets where housing construction has collapsed.

Their opinions of President Obama may be similar, but that’s about the only thing Republicans have in common these days. A recent poll conducted by the Washington Post found “deep dissatisfaction among GOP voters with the party’s leadership as well as ideological and generational differences that may prove big obstacles to the party’s plans for reclaiming power.”

The Wall Street Journal has the latest on the Dubai debt worries and says that United Arab Emirates has stepped in to support local banks. If you only read one thing about this story today, read Zachary Karabell’s essay in the Journal. He tries to explain what the real global impact would be if Dubai defaults on its loans and writes: “Even a doomsday scenario for Dubai wouldn’t be a global disaster.”

According to the New York Post, Jay Leno has turned 10 pm into America’s favorite time to play back stuff off DVR. Researchers at Nielsen Co. have found that more and more Americans are watching their favorite shows at 9 pm and then watching the DVR-ed episode of a show that airs concurrently at 10pm.

Not much more has come to light in the Tiger Woods story. The Orlando Sentinel says Woods continues to refuse interview requests from Florida police about his one-car accident this weekend, though the golfer accepted blame for the accident in a statement on his website. The New York Daily News reports that Woods’ alleged mistress has fled to Los Angeles to seek the counsel of celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred. 

What makes a person interesting? That’s the subject of an entertaining column in today’s Boston Globe. David Mehegan ponders the relationship between “what you know,” “what you are interested in,” and “how you respond to the world around you” as he searches for an answer.

Would Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn have been as funny if the movie was called “The Wedding Intruders?”  I understand the worries about Presidential security. But I question whether the New York Times used the right word this morning in describing the actions of last week’s state dinner party crashers. The Times calls Tareq and Michaele Salahi “intruders.”

More grandparents are parenting their children’s children says the Houston Chronicle this morning. The paper says many factors are fueling the trend including rising rates of incarceration and mental illness, money problems and a mindset that “you take care of family - no matter what.”

Who says sleepovers are just for grade schoolers? A company in New Jersey is building a network of “host families” around the state that pet owners can call up when they go out of town says the Star-Ledger.

The Chicago Tribune has an interesting story on the balance between being helpful and being “creepy” that retailers try to strike with online shoppers.

Everybody knows that the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. And the online retailers want you to make today “Cyber Monday.” By the end of the day, almost 30 million Americans will log on to their computers and buy something online reports the Detroit Free Press.

Every year the question arises: what do you get for the person who has everything? This year, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer has an answer - eight of them, actually. From a lobster stunner to a backyard blizzard, the paper has compiled a list of the strangest gifts out there.

The University of California of Irvine has come up with the antidote for skipping class: a video game major. The LA Times says the four-year degree in Game Science will be offered beginning next year, though some skeptics have already started to question whether the discipline is just “fun and games.”

Who knew that someone was keeping a list of the foods most commonly involved in kitchen knife mishaps? The Wall Street Journal looks at the persistent problem of BRI (bagel-related injuries) and two inventions that are vying for a solution.

PBS has decided to take the “with Jim Lehrer” out of the title of its iconic program “NewsHour.” The network is readying itself for a switch to a rotating, two-anchor format writes Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post.

The Seattle Times has ongoing coverage of the the fatal shootings of four of the city’s police officers yesterday. Authorities, who called the attack an ambush, say they believe their suspect was shot in the leg and have surrounded the house he is believed to be hiding in.

For many people, a fear of weight gain hinders their ability to quit smoking. But a new study has found that those who begin a weight loss program and a smoking cessation program at the same time are more likely to succeed at both reports the Boston Globe.

Would Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn have been as funny if the movie was called “The Wedding Intruders?”  I understand the worries about Presidential security. But I question whether the New York Times used the right word this morning in describing the actions of last week’s state dinner party crashers. The Times calls Tareq and Michaele Salahi “intruders.”

Everybody knows that the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. And the online retailers want you to make today “Cyber Monday.” By the end of the day, almost 30 million Americans will log on to their computers and buy something online reports the Detroit Free Press.

UPDATE: 911 call released. Not particularly insightful. Woods issues statement. Read more in the Orlando Sentinel.
The New York Daily News is among many papers picking up denials of the National Enquirer report of an affair between Woods and “knockout party girl” Rachel Uchitel.

Contemptuousness is a powerful political weapon, writes Neal Gabler in the Los Angeles Times. The latest wave of nastiness from the mainstream media has empowered her.

With a dramatic front page map, the New York Times illustrates a big increase in the use of food stamps across the US. The subsidy program has grown so much in some areas “it is becoming nearly as ordinary as the groceries it buys.”

Calling the NHL’s tie-game shootout an “unfortunate experiment,” New York Post columnist Larry Brooks says it’s time for a change. Almost one in five games this season has been decided by a shootout.

It’s getting more complicated by the hour to figure out what really happened early Saturday morning at Tiger Woods’ home in Florida.  A report in the Orlando Sentinel says Tiger’s wife Elin had to smash a window with a golf club to rescue her husband from his SUV. But TMZ.com says the two were arguing and the cuts on his face may have been caused by her.

Again today, uninvited White House dinner guests Tareq and Michaele Salahi have made front page news.  They shook President Obama’s hand after getting past Secret Service agents on Tuesday night. The White House released a photo of the brief encounter, and the New York Times is among many papers with the story on the front page.

There’s more buzz about the emerging music “supergroup” Them Crooked Vultures. The Wall Street Journal says this is a new venture standing on a solid platform, although their music may be better suited to the studio than a live stage.

Three days later, White House party crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi got more of the attention they seek, appearing on the front pages of the Washington Post, New York Times, New York Post, and New York Daily News.

The FAA has released transcripts and portions of audio recordings from the Northwest Airlines flight that overflew Minneapolis in October.

On what is typically a quiet, shortened trading day in the midst of a long weekend, the Wall Street Journal warned this morning that markets are anything but calm. Dubai’s request for a six-month reprieve from lenders set the stage for sharp declines in stock prices.

Black Friday shoppers are using their mobile phones in creative ways, reports USA Today. There are more shopping applications to help lead people to bargains and deliver online coupons. And others, the paper reports, will use their phone cameras to consult friends and family about possible purchases.

It’s a “crapshoot,” says USA Today, when it comes to travel pricing in the Caribbean. Resorts are eager to lure travelers back after a dismal year. But they’re reluctant to cut prices too agressively in what is traditionally their profitable high season.

I can’t decide whether it’s sleek or just funny looking. But the new Honda Accord Crosstour is a cross between a sedan and an SUV that gets it right, says USA Today reviewer James Healey. He says it’s a “delight” and a great drive.

The Wall Street Journal and New York Times both publish great book lists today. Ideas for you or for the people on your shopping list.

The Chicago Tribune says not even winter weather can stop surfing enthusiasts from trying their luck on Lake Michigan’s icy waves. Surfers say the colder and drearier the weather, the better the waves will be.

The security people insist they went through the metal detectors. But it’s still quite remarkable that socialites Tareq and Michaele Salahi managed to get into the White House state dinner without an invitation. The Washington Post says the couple posted a collection of photos on Facebook, including one with a man they identified as “Ron” Emanuel.

You can hear with your skin, reports the Boston Globe. Actually, what’s more likely happening is your skin is helping your ears to decide what they’re hearing.

The iPhone camera isn’t great. I can tell you this from first hand experience. But there are some clever apps to make it better, reports the New York Times. Like a night shot application that won’t snap a long-exposure picture until the camera is stable.

On the front page of the New York Post—the headline is “Home Free.”  A bank was being so unkind in its handling of a man’s mortgage that a judge wiped out the entire balance.

There’s a very funny piece in the New York Times from playwright and former flight attendant Elizabeth Fuller. She recounts a memorable inflight nap one day on the Thanksgiving weekend around 1970.

Here’s a question that doesn’t come up very often: What wine do you pair with a fried turkey? The Dallas Morning News recommends six wines in two price categories - and throws in a beer selection for good measure.

The New York Times looks at the reality of reality TV in today’s paper. Specifically, they’re talking about the “Biggest Loser.”  The Times says healthy weight loss often takes a backseat to the contestants and the show’s producers “pursuit of engaging television.”

According to a new study, exercising in the heat can curb your appetite. But the Houston Chronicle says experts are wary about the findings and cautions that serious health problems can arise from exerting yourself too strenuously in extreme temperatures.

The Chicago Tribune says at some bars, smokers are still allowed to light up despite a ban that prohibits smoking indoors. The catch? They must help owners pay any fines they incur.

You can literally get everything at Wal-Mart these days. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the mega chain has muscled in on the funeral business. Georgia officials are trying to make it illegal for Wal-Mart to sell cheap caskets online in the state.

Now that President Obama has finally made a decision on an Afghanistan strategy, the Washington Post presents an analysis of his decision making style.  It’s “strikingly different” from the “gut player” decisions George Bush described in his presidency.

The stars came out for President Obama’s first State Dinner last night writes USA Today. The event had an Indian theme, in honor of Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh. Michelle Obama wore a gown from an Indian-American designer, and the President offered a toast to Singh, saying that the US had a “great and growing partnership” with India.

We knew he could sing. And now, we know he can dance. Donny Osmond won this season’s Dancing with the Stars trophy last night after performing a “steamy tango” writes the New York Daily News. BONUS: Watch video

Adam Lambert refuses to apologize for his racy performance at the American Music Awards earlier this week. And the LA Times says maybe that’s a good thing. The paper concludes that the controversy has given Lambert some legitimate rock and roll cred.

The New York Post calls into question whether a video clip of Rom Houben, the man who was thought to be in a coma in Belgium for 23 years, actually shows him communicating via typed message. Skeptics think it looks like his aide is just moving the pen to whatever letter she decides.

A parody of Sarah Palin’s new book is being mistaken for the real thing says the New York Post this morning. Publishers of the book “Going Rouge” used such a similar book jacket design that USA Today ran a copy of the parody next to their review of “Going Rogue.”

What recession? The New York Daily News profiles a store in Manhattan that is selling an $18,000 pair of men’s dress shoes. The paper says there is no shortage of buyers at the Silvano Lattanzi shop. And at $1,200, the store’s sneakers are a bargain.

Check this list twice before you start doing your shopping. An Elmo lunchbox and a plastic phone made by Fisher-Price top this year’s list of dangerous toys says the Chicago Tribune. The 24th annual Trouble in Toyland report is compiled by a consumer rights group and is intended to help parents steer clear of products that have high levels of lead or are too loud.

The smart headline in the New York Post is “Wii now interrupt this game.”  Video game makers have signed on to a plan to offer a version of the “Emergency Broadcast System” public safety alerts.

What’s harder to find than a fugitive on the run? An FBI “most wanted” poster says the Kansas City Star. Once a staple at post offices around the country, the iconic rap sheets have been removed to make room for merchandise.

Larry, your bird misses you. The St. Petersburg Times says workers at an animal rescue are one step closer to finding the owner of a lost African Gray parrot after the bird belted out what appears to be its owner’s name.

No longer will a mumbled apology about not having any cash work. The Houston Chronicle says that the Salvation Army’s iconic red kettles will start accepting donations on credit and debit cards this season.

It may be the end of the road for Saab. GM’s attempts to sell the brand were put on hold yesterday when Swedish automaker Koenigsegg pulled out of a deal to buy Saab. The Detroit News says GM executives won’t make a final decision about its future until next week.

Now that President Obama has finally made a decision on an Afghanistan strategy, the Washington Post presents an analysis of his decision making style.  It’s “strikingly different” from the “gut player” decisions George Bush described in his presidency.

The stars came out for President Obama’s first State Dinner last night writes USA Today. The event had an Indian theme, in honor of Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh. Michelle Obama wore a gown from an Indian-American designer, and the President offered a toast to Singh, saying that the US had a “great and growing partnership” with India.

A parody of Sarah Palin’s new book is being mistaken for the real thing says the New York Post this morning. Publishers of the book “Going Rouge” used such a similar book jacket design that USA Today ran a copy of the parody next to their review of “Going Rogue.”

Check this list twice before you start doing your shopping. An Elmo lunchbox and a plastic phone made by Fisher-Price top this year’s list of dangerous toys says the Chicago Tribune. The 24th annual Trouble in Toyland report is compiled by a consumer rights group and is intended to help parents steer clear of products that have high levels of lead or are too loud.

If you’ve always dreamed of deep-frying a turkey for Thanksgiving but don’t have the energy or space to do it outside, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a solution in this morning’s paper. Butterball and Masterbuilt have teamed up to make a safer indoor turkey fryer.

There’s new research that shows you can boost your immunity to the flu by eating certain foods. The Wall Street Journal says Vitamin A, Vitamin D and Zinc are among the things that may help.

Are “superberries” super good for you? The Cleveland Plain-Dealer says the jury is still out on the benefits of eating berries rich in anti-oxidants.

Gingers beware. The LA Times says three red-haired middle school students were attacked by fellow classmates after a Facebook post urged violence against redheads. Police say the post was inspired by an episode of “South Park.”

Last week the Oxford English Dictionary crowned “unfriend” as its word of the year. But Chicago Tribune columnist Barbara Brotman says you don’t need a dictionary to have a hip vocabulary - all you need is some kids. She writes a very funny piece in today’s paper about what she has learned from her own children.

The TV is about to be revolutionized says the San Francisco Chronicle. Gone are the days when the appliance was merely a “gateway for broadcast and recorded video.” New software platforms are encouraging designers to treat the TV as a “third Internet screen, following the PC and smart phone.”

If you are in the market for a computer this holiday season, be sure to print off this Houston Chronicle article. Tech writer Dwight Silverman goes over the minimum specifications you should be on the lookout for as you do your shopping.

Pet food comes in almost every imaginable flavor, except for one: pork. The Arizona Republic says it’s not because the other white meat is bad for your pets but has more more to do with cost.

Got someone on your list that’s impossible to shop for? I bet they don’t have a necklace made out of reindeer poop. A zoo in central Illinois is selling the dried dung jewelry after ornaments made from the same material proved to be wildly successful last year says the Pantagraph.

Are you a shopaholic? If you consistently break your budget, hide purchases and return items out of guilt, you may have a problem. The Chicago Tribune has a list of warning signs to look for before you head out on Black Friday.

It’s a battle to rival Ali vs. Frasier says the New York Times.  The two retailers are in an online price war.  It started in the book and DVD categories, but has now spread to toys and electronics.

The Washington Post asked kids to test some of this season’s hottest toys and prints the results in this morning’s paper. Among the winners were card games and electronic games.

Washington Post columnist Caroline Butler has dreams of a “right-sized Christmas.” Butler says you can avoid some of the stress the holidays induce by managing expectations.

A new anesthetic spray shows promise for men who suffer from premature ejaculations reports the Chicago Tribune. US-based trials show the spray “increased the time to ejaculation nearly fivefold.”

Elevated levels of plastic-softening chemicals found in pregnant women can cause less ?masculine? play in their sons reports the Washington Post. Researchers say the chemicals, which are found in common everyday items like lotions and soaps, change the development of the male brain and genitals.

A transgendered prisoner in Massachusetts wants to get electrolysis - and she wants the state to pay for the treatments. The Boston Globe reports that the woman, who was born as a man and is in prison for killing his wife, claims her facial hair causes such distress that she has a ?serious medical need?? for electrolysis.

Living longer is one of the medical advances we should be thankful for says the Wall Street Journal. The article says amid all the news about flu and health-care reform, it’s “easy to overlook how much progress has been made in recent years.”

Are you a hero if you come to work sick? That’s the question in today’s Wall Street Journal. People tend to think of themselves as martyrs when they make the effort to come into the office when feeling under the weather. But the Journal says your colleagues may have another name for you: a jerk.

You were wasting time while you dreamt last night says the New York Times - you could’ve been learning. New research says your brain may be quite receptive to sound while you’re sleeping.