News.com Extra

Maybe they should start teaching basic bookkeeping at the FBI Academy.

A Justice Department audit released Thursday faulted the agency for poor handling of money and cited a case in which a wiretap under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was disrupted after the phone company cut service due to an overdue bill.

Read the full story on at Reuters, among other places: "Phone company cuts off FBI wiretap for unpaid bill"

Forbes is reporting on a patent filed by Apple this month that would save customers the hassle of waiting in line to order coffee at Starbucks or a burger at the nearest fast food joint. It's described as "a wireless system that would allow customers to place an order at a store using a wireless device such as a media player, a wireless personal digital assistant or a cell phone."

Cool, but you can already do that via simple text message.

Read full story at Forbes: "Apple's piping hot innovation."

The FBI has teamed up with Phoenix-based Clear Channel Outdoor to air mug shots of most wanted criminals on 150 digital billboards in 20 cities nationwide, the Associated Press is reporting.

The effort follows a successful test run in Philadelphia that led to several arrests.

Read the full AP story via Google, among other places: "FBI mug shots to hit digital billboards."

New Jersey acting Gov. Richard Codey signed a bill into law Thursday that prohibits anyone convicted of using a computer to commit a sex offense from using computers or accessing the Internet for part or all of their parole, according to Information Week.

Makes sense, in a very parental sort of way. Abuse your privileges and they'll get taken away. But such punishment will no doubt be viewed by some as a civil rights violation.

Read the full story at Information Week: "New Jersey bars some sex offenders from Internet."

For those of you who pay attention to share price milestones in all multiples of $100, the Associated Press is reporting that Apple stock hit the $200 mark for the first time Wednesday.

The story says the bump coincides with rising investor confidence at the end of what has been a strong year for the company with the debut of the iPhone.

Read the full story via Yahoo, among other places: "Apple trades at $200 for first time"

(Credit: ABC News)

Move over Rudolph. Santa will likely get more help guiding his sleigh tonight from Mars than from your red nose.

The red planet will be about as close and as bright to Earth as it ever gets, which means it will be brighter than the brightest star in the sky.

Read the full story at ABC News. "Red planet outshines red nose"