5 stories worth a read: Part 18

In honor of Thanksgiving Day, these stories have nothing to do with Thanksgiving Day. So there.

1. Global migration is cornerstone of Western Union growth from the International Herald Tribune

2. Canada to announce vast new national park from the International Herald Tribune

3. China downplays Three Gorges Dam damage from The Associated Press (on msnbc.com)

4. Ex-adviser says split with Bush hurts, liberates from the L.A. Times (on sfgate.com)

5. Woman arrested in 'Santa Bandit' armed robberies from The Associated Press (on sfgate.com)

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: Part 17

It's cloudy outside, but that can't keep the sun from shining on these crazy, noteworthy, news stories done right.

1. Enjoy a refreshing ham soda from The Associated Press (on cnn.com)

2. Tired of slights, embarrassment, man sheds 87 pounds from CNN

3. Dissent and satire still alive in Russia from the International Herald Tribune

4. The risks of playing with a brand's 'look' from the International Herald Tribune

5. Disney Sued for Segway Ban from The Associated Press (on sfgate.com)

Enjoy!

5 stories worth a read: Part 16

Start your November with a fresh dose of some interesting articles online:

1. Foreign automakers drive makeover of Smalltown USA from CNN

2. Class assignment: Write an original Wikipedia article from The Associated Press (on cnn.com)

3. Rush of Cuban migrants use Mexican routes to U.S. from the International Herald Tribune

4. EU report on Turkey deals new blow to Ankara's membership bid from the International Herald Tribune

5. Cheney: Being Darth Vader not so bad from The Associated Press (on msnbc.com)

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: Part 15

Hmm, things have been busy over the weekend, but still time to share a few of the best stories I've encountered online:

1. In many countries, cement is crucial for growth but an enemy of green from the International Herald-Tribune

2. In Europe, a growing fervor for Elvis Presley from the International Herald Tribune

3. As Apple gains PC market share, Jobs talks of a decade of upgrades from the International Herald Tribune

4. Children detach from natural world as they explore the virtual one from the San Francisco Chronicle

5. Colbert says presidential run is no joke from Reuters (on msnbc.com).

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: Part 14

Some random browsing brought these to light:

1. U.S. Southeast reaches most severe category of drought from the International Herald Tribune

2. French strike expected to affect travel elsewhere in Europe from the International Herald Tribune

3. Mutants or saviors? Rabbit genes create trees that eat poisons from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

4. Friction over weak dollar expected at G-7 meeting from McClatchy News Service

5. Stephen Colbert to run for president from The Associated Press (on mercurynews.com)

Enjoy!

5 stories worth a read: Part 13

Check these out. Maybe grab some popcorn, too. Or not. Your call.

1. Secret tunnels tell tale of gambling, prostitution (down in Fresno) from The Associated Press (on cnn.com)

2. Writers strike could pull plug on TV favorites on msnbc.com

3. Top secret no more, restored fort opens doors from the San Francisco Chronicle

4. U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear Modesto case from The Modesto Bee

5. NBC overhead camera falls onto field from The Associated Press (on modbee.com)

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: Part 12

Hey, haven't done one of these in awhile. Guess it's been a busy season of life. Anyway, you might enjoy a trip to check out these stories:

1. In India, a $2,500 pace car from the International Herald Tribune

2. Belgians agree on one issue: foreigners from the International Herald Tribune

3. Many patients can’t name drugs they’re taking from Reuters (on msnbc.com)

4. S.F. plans market rates for prized parking spaces from The San Francisco Chronicle

5. Merced takes turn at top for lost homes from The Modesto Bee

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: part onze

Taking a break from a project for a few minutes, I came across these lovely morsels:

1. As China rises, pollution soars from the International Herald Tribune

2. The Iraq war is not like others, or is it? from the International Herald Tribune

3. UC Merced freshmen find a new home from The Modesto Bee

4. Where will Bush rank in presidential history? from McClatchy Newspapers (via The Modesto Bee)

5. Study finds emotional trauma can alter size of a child's brain from the San Francisco Chronicle

Dig in and enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: part dix

1. Scientists detect change in planet Uranus' rings from the San Francisco Chronicle (on sfgate.com)

2. Police probe MedicAlert theft: Ex-worker accused of e-mailing patient records to herself from The Modesto Bee

3. Merkel's coalition puts stability before change from the International Herald Tribune

4. Game widows grieve ‘lost’ spouses: Mates have become consumed with ‘World of Warcraft,’ Second Life from msnbc.com

5. Crime in the naked city is just a prank from The Sacramento Bee

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: part neuf

Check these out. Some pretty good choices today.

1. Turlock Students Face First Day with No Cell Phones from News 10/ABC affiliate in Sacramento

2. Barack Obama gets name-dropped in hip-hop from cnn.com

3. United adding digital TV from Bloomberg News (on iht.com)

4. Hollywood studios split on format to replace standard DVD from the International Herald Tribune

5. College knowledge relegates more to history; What’s the Berlin Wall? Incoming freshmen grew up after the Cold War from The Associated Press (on iht.com)

Enjoy!

5 stories worth a read: part huit.

Some good stuff online today.

1. CD celebrates 25th anniversary from cnn.com

2. Beijing pulls cars off the road to clear smog ahead of Olympic Games from the International Herald Tribune

3. U.S. moves to declare Eritrea a 'state sponsor of terrorism' from the Associated Press (on iht.com)

4. What happens inside an earthquake? from msnbc.com

5. Pinole councilman, facing recall, enlists in the Army from the San Francisco Chronicle (on sfgate.com)

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: part sept

Take a spin past these unique, cool stories:

1. A second stint as first daughter in U.S.? from the International Herald Tribune

2. Taliban claim to kill a 2nd South Korean hostage from The Associated Press (on iht.com)

3. OK, who REALLY wrote that song? from The Associated Press (on cnn.com)

4. Anti-abortion leaders size up GOP candidates from The New York Times (on msnbc.com)

5. Despite glitches and a security warning, iPhones faring well from the San Francisco Chronicle (on sfgate.com)

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: part six

After a short summer break, we're back with some suggested reading to dull the pain of those hot, humid, scorching days of July:

1. Harrison Ford, 65, still fit for Indiana Jones from The Associated Press (on cnn.com)

2. Japan learns dreaded task of jury duty from the International Herald Tribune

3. One of 'worst quarters' for Los Angeles Times from Bloomberg News (on iht.com)

4. A new 'modesty movement' aims to teach young women they don't have to be bad, or semiclad from Newsweek (on msnbc.com)

5. UC Regents to consider raising pay for some of system's professors from the San Francisco Chronicle (on sfgate.com)

Have fun.

5 stories worth a read: part cinq

Comin' at ya straight from Las Vegas...or Sacramento...five more stories worth your mental energy:

1. Huge auction shows boom in housing going, going, gone from the SF Chronicle (on sfgate.com)

2. The 'new' NEA: Reading gets bigger from cnn.com

3. Waiter, there's deer in my sushi from the International Herald Tribune

4. Does the iPhone have 'It'? Early signs are good from the International Herald Tribune

5. 'Sicko' not the whole story of Cuban health care from Reuters (on msnbc.com)

Enjoy.

5 stories worth a read: part quatre

Welcome back, friends. Today we offer you an exciting edition of 5Stories, and we hope you enjoy your stay with us.

1. Berkeley street behavior law draws some unruly remarks from the San Francisco Chronicle (via sfgate.com)

2. Survey: Working dads want more family time from CNN/careerbuilder.com

3. Futurism’s past is littered with faulty forecasts from msnbc.com

4. Barroso waves off notion of 'United States of Europe' from the International Herald Tribune

5. Old Latin Mass makes a comeback from the St. Louis Post Dispatch

And before you go, let's play a round of Jeopardy...
ANSWER: The reason Rob's posting on his blog before noon on his day off.
QUESTION: What is because one of his students called him at 7AM today? Ugh!

5 stories worth a read: part trois

From the land of cybermilk and honey, here are 5 stories you should read before the end of today. And none of them has anything to do with Paris Hilton. Well, maybe one of them does:

1. Viral campaign spreading: Online marketing effort may germinate into business leads from The San Francisco Chronicle (on sfgate.com)

2. Agreement reached in street-naming squabble: Turlock commissioner's design appeals to most from The Modesto Bee

3. Clemens’ never-retiring act has grown thin from The Associated Press (on msnbc.com)

4. Cracking Down on "Murderabilia" from Time Magazine

5. We all wanted to see Paris get fabulous comeuppance from The San Francisco Chronicle (on sfgate.com)

As always, enjoy!

5 stories worth a read: volume deux

Here are 5 more stories you should read online if you're bored, looking to grow in your potential as a human being, or owe me some kind of favor.

1. If it's not tennis elbow, it may be 'Wiiitis' from Reuters (on cnn.com)

2. Senior prank gets Palo Alto High School senior arrested from The San Francisco Chronicle

3. Bob Barker tapes final 'Price Is Right' from The Associated Press (on sfgate.com)

4. British turn up their noses at London Olympics logo from the International Herald Tribune

5. Rapper with attitude updates 'Frenchness' from the International Herald Tribune

Enjoy the reads.

5 stories worth a read

These aren't necessarily 5 stories that make the biggest headlines, and you may have seen the articles already. But these are 5 stories that I found intriguing as a youth pastor, as a leader, as a person:

1. Sex peddled as power in pornified girl culture from The Associated Press

2. Bank overdraft fees: Help may be on the way from MSNBC

3. Greece is awaiting huge wave of tourists from the International Herald Tribune

4. The Force is strong at MJC tribute to Lucas, 'Star Wars' from The Modesto Bee

5. '08 Dark Horse Running Strong ... in Cyberspace from ABCnews.com

And for those of you who might complain that all 5 picks come from MSM (mainstream media) sources, well, tough. Deal with it, amigos.