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Rundown 5/18

42:56
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Rumsfeld Memos

When he was defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld's cover sheets to the Worldwide Intelligence Update, given to the president each day, included biblical quotations, such as this one, two weeks into the Iraq war: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9). We speak with Robert Draper, who reported the story for the June edition of GQ magazine. Draper wrote the Bush biography "Dead Certain: The Presidency of George W. Bush."

Financial Advice for Recent Grads

With national unemployment nearing 9 percent and many companies rescinding job offers to grads, we get advice for recent grads entering the down economy. Many are burdened by student loan and credit card debt. Beth Kobliner is author of "Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in your 20s and 30s."

Bouncing Students

We talk with John Kilbourne, professor of movement science at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, about the results of his experiment having students sit on stability balls instead of chairs in his classes. Kilbourne found that the over-sized, bouncy plastic orbs improved students' posture and attention spans; and all but one of his 52 students wanted to use the balls in their other classes.

Sri Lanka's Civil War: Is It Really Over?

A Sri Lankan woman holds the national flag as she celebrates the victory of military over Tamil Tiger rebels, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, May 18, 2009. (AP)
A Sri Lankan woman holds the national flag as she celebrates the victory of military over Tamil Tiger rebels, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, May 18, 2009. (AP)

Paul Potts

Before there was Susan Boyle, there was Paul Potts. The mild mannered cell-phone salesman caused a sensation back in 2007 when he won the first Britain's Got Talent with his rendition of Puccini's "Nessun Dorma". Since then, the tenor's career has taken off.

Music from the show

  • Kar Kar Madison, "Boubacar Traore"
  • Ahmad Jamal, "Patterns"
  • Herbie Hancock, "Watermelon Man"
  • The Ventures, "Green Onions"
  • The Lickets, "Serial East"
  • Talking Heads, "This Must Be the Place"
  • Puccini, “Nussun Dorma” performed by Paul Potts
  • “Sei Con Me," performed by Paul Potts and Hayley Westerna
  • “Senza Luce,” performed by Paul Potts
  • “Tristesse,” performed by Paul Potts 

This program aired on May 18, 2009.

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