US retail sales up 0.3 percent in November

WASHINGTON — Americans spent more online in November to the start of the holiday season and began to replace cars and rebuild in the Northeast after Superstorm Sandy.US retail sales rose 0.3 percent in November from October, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That offset a 0.3 percent decline in October from September.The figures were much stronger...

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Lennar to borrow $1.7 billion from Chinese bank

Miami-based Lennar Corp. has gotten approval on $1.7 billion in loans from China Development Bank to fund the development and construction of two major projects in San Francisco, according to a person familiar with the transaction.The contract, set to close by Dec. 31 subject to various conditions, would mark the first U.S. loan by the big state-owned Chinese bank. One condition...

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Fla. board to select education chief

One finalist for Florida education commissioner conceded Tuesday that he can be caustic at times, while another said he resigned as Illinois’ top school official because of the political climate under a governor who later went to prison.The remaining finalist acknowledged the federal No Child Left Behind Act that he helped draft and promote as a congressional staffer and...

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Here’s the Pope’s First Tweet

The long wait is over and we’ve finally got the first words of Twitter wisdom from Pope Benedict XVI. Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart.— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) December 12, 2012Ok, so not that funny, but it was all spelled right and we got blessed by a pope, so that’s a good start. And...

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Drew Barrymore's Baby Daughter Olive Lands First Cover

Drew Barrymore introduces her baby daughter, Olive, to the world on the latest People magazine cover.The nine-week old is seen in the arms of her actress mom who told the magazine that after giving birth, "I couldn't eat or sleep for two weeks, I was just so nervous!" She added, "You have the highest highs and yet you're facing the biggest fear of, 'How do I keep someone alive?' "Barrymore, 37, was...

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Officials bust 41 members of violent B'klyn street gang

Forty-one members of a violent, highly organized Brooklyn street gang have been busted for murder, conspiracy, robbery and a host of other crimes, prosecutors said today."They formed alliances with other gangs and used social media to brag about their crimes," a rep for Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes said."Leaders would collect money from their members at weekly...

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The first wave of Windows 8 PCs

We’ve been benchmarking and field-testing new Windows 8 systems, including all-in-one desktops, traditional clamshell laptops and convertible laptops with displays that flip or twist around to form tabletlike devices. Dell XPS One 27 Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent) The good: Boasts the highest-display resolution among Windows 8 all-in-ones, and...

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South Florida pols sticking to party lines on fiscal cliff

WASHINGTON -- Don’t expect South Florida’s congressional delegation to stray too far from party lines when it comes to dancing on the edge of the fiscal cliff, the end-of-the-year spending cuts and tax increases set to take effect if Congress and the president don’t address them.Democrats are firmly with President Barack Obama, whose proposal seeks to raise $600 billion over...

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AskMen's Most Desirable Women

AskMen asked its 20 million readers to nominate the celeb who most closely matches their ideal woman, so which Hollywood females are making their mark among men, and whose popularity is quickly dropping?According to the 2.4 million votes, Jennifer Lawrence comes out on top as the most desirable woman for 2013, though that's hardly a surprise -- the 22-year-old has had an amazing breakout year starring...

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WATCH: Roof collapses during live TV interview after Ala. tornado

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A man who survived a tornado with his family got a second shock when his roof caved in on live TV.Homeowner Clint Thornton told WBRC-TV that he was about to leave for work when he saw a funnel cloud. "I turned the key to go out the door. I could see the funnel and all kinds of debris. It was heading right toward our house," said...

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