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Are you going to see 'The Dark Knight' in theaters this weekend?

Yes! I'm going to the midnight showing tonight!

25%

Yes, I'll make sure I see it this weekend.

25%

Maybe, if I have time.

25%

Nah, I don't like Batman.

25%

Total votes: 4

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Ken McCoy Entertainment Report... Conservative Talk Radio: Worried We're Not Buying It Anymore?... I Languished In A Mexican Prison... 'The Dark Knight' Is A Classic... Chinese Military Carrying Tibetan Monks' Robes, Real OIympic Torch-Bearer Attack Or Staged?... I Have Seen The Dark Knight... Luka Magnotta: The Ultimate Luxaholic... Roughing It In The Rockies... My Psychedelic Welfare Cheque... Movie Review: Wall-E...

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Orato.com's Top 50 Stories Of 2007

I Was Married To The DC Sniper: Mildred Muhammad

At last count, 3274 of you have posted more than 1,100 stories, videos and audio and image reports to the site, from every corner of the planet.

By Orato Editor Paul Sullivan

Date Posted: 12/24/07

Reader Rating:

2007 was Orato’s first full year of providing people with a platform and a voice, and we have been blown away by the vibrant response we’ve had from our citizen correspondents. At last count, 3382 of you have posted more than 1,100 stories, videos and audio and image reports to the site, from every corner of the planet.

We, the editors (Heather, Robyn and Paul), have put together a list of the Top 50 citizen stories of the year. If you’re not on it, don’t feel bad. We love all 1,103 stories equally! The Top 50 just gives the rest of the world a bird’s eye view of the unique power of Orato. And, God (and Sam) willing, there’s always next year!

1) I Was Married to The DC Sniper: This story, from Mildred Muhammad, the wife of the notorious DC Sniper John Muhammad, is exactly what I was hoping for when we launched this site: a powerful, meaningful, authentic account of what it's like to live the events that the rest of us only watch on TV. This story completely validates the idea of citizen news.

For Mildred Muhammad, the threat posed by John Muhammad was anything but random or anonymous. When he took her aside and told her, “You have become my enemy, and as my enemy I will kill you”, it chilled my blood. It took real courage to protect herself and her children in the face of this threat, especially when no one would believe the unthinkable - that John Muhammad was as mad and dangerous as a man could be. If you read one story on this site...read this one!

2) Michelle Manhart: Kicked Out of the Air Force for Posing Nude in Playboy: This story was a blip on the mainstream news radar for a while, as it boasted a few tasty elements that fire up the tabloid temperament...a beautiful nude woman, the US military and Playboy. Bingo! But it is also a story of injustice and courage - courage that is different than Mildred Muhammad's. Michelle Manhart is a soldier who can fight in my army any time: feisty, strong, brave, and not afraid to take on anyone in her own personal war.