Decisive News

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Ling Minhua, Lina Lofaro, Ellin Martens, Benjamin Nugent, Michele Orecklin, Julie Rawe, Sora Song, Josh Tyrangiel

While the nation launched into a game of Ring Around the White House, thankfully some contests actually did get resolved last week:

RAPPED UP The duel of the two coolest rappers was decided. Jay-Z's new album The Dynasty: Roc la Familia 2000 outsold Outkast's same-day release, Stankonia.

FOWL ART A Minnesota wildlife painter, Robert Hautman, bested 315 other artists in the 2000 federal duck-stamp contest with his acrylic of a northern pintail.

P.R. EFFORT In one of Puerto Rico's tightest races--it was too close to call most of the night--voters elected antistatehood San Juan Mayor Sila Calderon as Governor.