Print edition for December 29, 2007

Saturday's College Basketball: AP; American International 54, Sciences, Pa. 50

Radiohead Ruled in 2007, at Any Price: AP; 1. "In Rainbows," Radiohead: The much-ballyhooed online release of "In Rainbows" in some ways obscured what an excellent album it is. The opener, "15 Step," begins with a cold electronic beat that sounds like recently typical Radiohead or Thom Yorke's 2006 solo album. But 41 seconds in, Johnny Greenwood enters with a beautiful, languorous guitar line. From then on, the band gradually lets the melody take over, particularly on songs like the midnight ballad "Nude" and the soulful show-stopper "Reckoner." With Radiohead, you're always on guard for the crash, the shattering of brightness - but on "In Rainbows," they let ...

Internet Opens Elite Colleges to All: AP; Recently, with the growth of computer science, demand to understand linear algebra has surged. But so has the number of students Strang can teach.

Faulty inference can turn a heartfelt reply into fighting words: saxo-archive; Faulty inference can turn a heartfelt reply into fighting words

Looking in on: Carson City Famed tax protester wins minor victory Case sent back; Schiff not off hook: saxo-archive; Looking in on: Carson City Famed tax protester wins minor victory Case sent back; Schiff not off hook

The rage of the season: saxo-archive; A Christmas miracle: Getting the toys out of their packaging without using a blow torch

Editorial: The rage of the season: Many new products, especially toys, are now coming entombed in heavily glued and tightly sealed plastic packages that are seemingly impervious to all but a blow torch. That has created what is being called "wrap rage," the anger and frustration people experience trying to open these nearly impenetrable containers.

Letter: Smearing Reid won't discourage followers: I also must state my disgust with those, deficient in dignity, who resort to dirty politics. It is difficult to call these people gentlemen. I refer to Rush Limbaugh, the sickest of the lot, who loves to smear politicians who are Democrats. Bill O'Reilly follows suit.

TV Lookout: Highlighting Dec. 30-Jan. 5: AP; On this new twist on the "Apprentice," now in its seventh season, the 14 contenders will be competing in business-oriented tasks around New York to raise money for their pet charities, with the final winner being crowned "Celebrity Apprentice" and delivering a $250,000 bonus check to his or her favorite cause.

Musical chairs on judges' bench: By Brian Eckhouse; The odds of incumbent judges winning reelection are staggeringly high - helping explain why 60 percent of sitting state judges run unopposed - yet new leadership almost certainly will direct much of the Regional Justice Center by January 2009.

Letter: Political activism by citizens needed: Let us think of ourselves as lobbyists for "we the people," promoting fairness and freedom over the greed of special interests.

Letter: District should steer more kids to military: The deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction, Lauren Kohut-Rost, claims that their "Quality Assurance Framework" document is intended to measure postsecondary activity by district students, not to advocate for the military. School Board President Ruth Johnson says, "The district has never done anything to promote military involvement." Why not?

Editorial: Priorities askew: The announcement was made because Bush objects to a provision in the bill that could force Iraq to defend itself in U.S. courts against charges brought by Americans.

'Old Men' Get Nod As AP's Movie of 2007: AP; The top 10 films of 2007, according to AP Movie Writer David Germain:

In college, learning to stretch $10,000 or $12,000: By Charlotte Hsu; Long years of slogging toward a master's or doctoral degree can transform graduate students into coupon-clipping, Top Ramen-eating experts at scrimping.

DID YOU SEE THAT?!: You don't have to be Jack Nicholson or Morgan Freeman to have a "bucket list." You can just be a sports fan with a hankering to witness a demolition derby in Islip, N.Y., or the World Wristwrestling Championships in Petaluma, Calif. You need not own ABC's "Wide World of Sports" boxed set to know the possibilities are virtually endless. Sort of like one of those cliff-diving competitions from Acapulco.

AP's Best Album: 'Rehab' Chick Winehouse: AP; Here are the rare records with a permanent place on our playlists in 2007:

Anti-terrorism funds wasted: saxo-archive; Bush administration getting little return on billions provided to fight terrorists in Pakistan

DOD: 405 Military Deaths in Afghan Area: AP; Of those, the military reports 274 were killed by hostile action.

Eater's Dilemma: Returning to Basics: AP; The book, which is very much a companion piece to Pollan's earlier book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma," continues his argument that in recent decades, we have shifted from the traditional diets of our ancestors to what he calls the "Western diet" - industrialized food, reconstituted, repackaged and redefined to conform with the latest whims of nutritional science.

LOOKING IN ON: CARSON CITY: CARSON CITY - Irwin Schiff, an "irascible" 79-year-old nationally known tax protester, has won a legal point in his battle with the government, but he still may have to spend more than 13 years in prison for violating federal income tax law at his Las Vegas business.

Life unpredictable along the Afghan horizon Most of life... is unplanned. It’s banal, capricious, a frustration to any puppet master — which does not make it any less precious, of course, or fragile.: saxo-archive; Life unpredictable along the Afghan horizon Most of life... is unplanned. It’s banal, capricious, a frustration to any puppet master — which does not make it any less precious, of course, or fragile.

Priorities askew: saxo-archive; To spare Iraq from court costs and possible judgments, Bush rejects defense spending bill

Editorial: Anti-terrorism funds wasted: Many of the reports mention the Bush administration's special aid to the Pakistan government. Since 9/11, the aid has totaled more than $5 billion. Its purpose is to provide elite units of Pakistan's military forces with the weapons and gear they need to fight terrorists in the border regions, where many of them retreated after U.S.-led forces attacked Afghanistan following 9/11.

CLASSROOM STANDOFF: By Mike Trask; Fourteen-year-old, shaggy haired rock 'n' roll aficionado Jacob Rangen hasn't been to school in nearly two years.