It's Christmas 365 days a year at www.claus.com and everyone is invited. You'll feel like a kid again after spending a few minutes on the site trying out all the fun activities. You can officially graduate from elf school, create your own elves and even e-mail the big guy yourself. And if malls are the last place you want to spend the holidays, you can take care of some of your Christmas shopping while you're there. There are tons of great gift ideas that are sure to brighten anyone's Christmas morning. You can also download screen savers and instant message icons to keep you in the Christmas spirit.

Boise police defend officer after ombudsman's report

Boise police are defending the actions of a fellow officer after the city's community ombudsman issued a critical report saying the officer violated the department's policy on use of force.Pierce Murphy issued the report earlier this month on a 2006 incident where two sons of Idaho state Sen. Mike Burkett, D-Boise, were cited for vandalizing U.S. flags on the Statehouse grounds.The men, Michael "Ike" Burkett and Thomas Burkett - referred to in the report only as Complainant 1 and Witness 1 - were cited with malicious injury to property. Michael Burkett was arrested for resisting after an officer forcibly put him on the ground for allegedly interfering with his investigation. Michael Burkett was not injured.Murphy's report states the officer, who has not been identified, violated department policy on the use of force and failed to properly record the incident with a digital recorder.Boise police Chief Mike Masterson and Boise Police Union representatives say they disagree with Murphy's findings.The officer properly used force and will not be disciplined, Masterson said.At issue is how to interpret a grainy, dark security camera video of the incident coupled with statements from the Burkett brothers, three Capitol security officers and two Boise police officers.

Teen`s Interview With John Lennon Yields Oscar Nod

A 1969 encounter between a 14 year-old Beatles fan and John Lennon has inspired "I Met the Walrus," a five-minute Canadian film contending for an Oscar for best animated short.

Think "Almost Famous" with the Beatles. Except this portrait of a young boy in a dream landscape is told from his lips. The voice track for "I Met the Walrus" is based on an interview Jerry Levitan did 39 years ago with a surprisingly accommodating John Lennon.

"My heart was beating so fast. I was like Al Pacino in 'The Godfather,' where he's in the restaurant with the planted gun and about to kill the cop," he says, remembering how he summoned the courage to knock at Lennon's door.

Mr. Broad Builds His Dream Museum

His latest project is the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, a new wing at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) that's billed as one of the largest spaces in the country devoted exclusively to contemporary art. "BCAM" debuted on Feb. 9 with a swanky on-site dinner party attended by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes, and a bit of headline-generating controversy worthy of a Hollywood premiere. The building opens to the public on Feb. 16.

Broad became a billionaire several times over by catering to the needs of post-World War II families. His first company, KB Home (KBH), is still among the nation's largest homebuilders. He also built Sun America, now a part of American International Group (AIG), into the nation's largest seller of annuities.

Castro Departure Opens Economic Options for U.S.

America quietly has become the largest foreign supplier of food products to the communist nation, thanks to a loosening of the U.S. trade embargo in 2000. U.S. farmers sold an estimated $437 million worth of agricultural products to Cuba last year, according to the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council. The Cuban government puts the figure at more than $600 million.

Body material on dSLRs

I was supposed to buy a dSLR last December but decided to hold for a while because of the PMA event, so I could see if there would be new models of dSLRs I could choose. Since there are none for the moment, I've narrowed down my choices to the Nikon D80 and Canon EOS 40D. I know both of them have 10mp sensor. I just want to know what is the relevance of the body material used in these dSLRs (EOS 40D using magnesium alloy; D80 using high-grade-quality plastic)? Do they affect the longevity/lifespan of the unit?

I'm more exposed to nature photography and often go to places where the weather changes everyday. Submitted by ppcfan15, Philippines