Newser Story Index from December, 2007
Welcome to the Newser Story Index. Here you find stories written by Newser writers and editors, assembled with supporting photos and videos from the files of the news story.
Clinton Hostage Suspect Very, Very, Very Sorry
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 7:43 PM CST
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The "crazy man with the bomb" charged with holding hostage workers at Hillary Clinton's New Hampshire headquarters released a passionately worded apology, reports the AP. A keenly remorseful Leeland Eisenberg wrote that "I want to fully and sincerely acknowledge the fear, pains, and lasting effects my senseless actions caused you."
Cleveland Survives Blizzard, Bills
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 7:12 PM CST
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Browns Stadium looked better suited for the Winter Olympics, but instead hosted football today, and its tenants defeated Buffalo 8-0. Cleveland's formula was simple: hand off to running back Jamal Lewis instead of throwing into 40-mph winds. Kicker Phil Dawson somehow managed to make two field goals as the Browns (9-5) tied Pittsburgh for first place....
9 Hotels With Incredible Perks
Forbes Traveler
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Dec 16, 2007 7:11 PM CST
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Some hotels will go out of their way to guarantee guests a memorable experience. Forbes Traveler picks nine that break into "outrageous" territory: Helicopter transfers, Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi, Brazil Sleep concierge, The Benjamin, New York City Custom scents, Palazzo Magnani Feroni, Florence
Depp Pipes Up on Singing Role
Chicago Sun-Times
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Dec 16, 2007 6:58 PM CST
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Johnny Depp has more acting chops, hotness, and wealth than anyone could want, but even the superstar's knees buckled when he agreed to make his singing debut in the new silver-screen musical, Sweeney Todd, opening this Friday. "I was scared to death," he told the Chicago Sun-Times . Yet predictably, critics are already fawning over his...
Perfect Patriots Top Jets, 20-10
New York Times
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Dec 16, 2007 6:28 PM CST
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New England improved to 14-0 thanks to its defense, which scored once and shut down the New York Jets in a 20-10 win. In battling both the Jets and the lousy weather, the Patriots' high-powered offense was held to its lowest output of 2007. The visitors tried to rally, but had a touchdown negated by replay with 2:30 remaining. Elsewhere:
Oscar Niemeyer Threw Life a Curve or Two
Der Spiegel
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Dec 16, 2007 6:17 PM CST
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Oscar Niemeyer turned 100 this weekend, but the famed Brazilian architect is still planning for the best years of his life: he’s still developing bold designs—including a museum that resembles a giant eye—starting a magazine, and he recently remarried. Niemeyer, who soared to fame in 1956 after dressing Brazil’s capital in exalted...
Gangs Trade Tattoos for Suits
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 6:00 PM CST
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After years of punks with brazen head-to-toe tattoos and baggy jeans, organized crime has a new face: the clean-cut, yuppified mug of a college grad, AP reports. In an effort to keep cops off their tails and increase the bottom line, Latin American gangs are opting for brains over brawn—especially as they contend with widespread crackdowns in...
Iraq Invites Refugees Home, but Home Is Gone
Washington Post
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Dec 16, 2007 5:35 PM CST
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Baghdad shocked Washington and the UN last month by inviting home 1.4 million refugees from Syria, the Washington Post reports. The UN warned against it, saying exiles would face poverty, but Iraq started a bus line to transport them back. Many found their homes looted and neighborhoods redrawn along sectarian lines—and with no official plan...
Christmas Opens in Bethlehem
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 5:07 PM CST
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The lighting of a four-story tree yesterday in Bethlehem kicked off a joyous season of increased tourism, reports the AP, amid a backdrop of resumed Mideast peace talks. Some 65,000 foreigners are expected to visit the West Bank town this season, the AP reports; only 16,000 visited the famous town two years ago. "The town greatly benefits from...
Constitutional Changes Spark New Battles in Pakistan
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 4:27 PM CST
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Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf just retired his army uniform, but he should prepare for a fight, the AP says, as Nawaz Sharif's opposition group plans to reverse constitutional revisions he made before lifting emergency rule yesterday. Musharraf imposed limits on the press, sealed the retirements of Supreme Court judges, and removed a condition...
Snow, Ice, Wind Slam Northeast
Reuters
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Dec 16, 2007 3:53 PM CST
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The snowstorm that pummeled the Midwest yesterday has shifted its icy, windy fury onto the Great Lakes and New England, Reuters reports. Eight inches of snow blanketed roads and runways in Boston, causing Logan Airport to cancel some 300 flights. Three traffic fatalities in Minnesota and Wisconsin were blamed on the weather, reports the AP.
Kerrigan Plotter Dies at Age 40
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 3:31 PM CST
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A plotter in the 1994 attack on skater Nancy Kerrigan died this week of natural causes at age 40, the AP reports. Brian Sean Griffith, ex-bodyguard to figure-skating Olympic hopeful Tonya Harding, confessed to helping organize the attack on Kerrigan days after it happened. Griffith served 14 months and later changed his name from Shawn Eckhardt...
Smith Is Box Office Legend
Variety
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Dec 16, 2007 3:03 PM CST
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I Am Legend rocked the box office for $76.5 million this weekend, the highest gross for a December pic ever, Variety reports. Twentieth Century Fox also surprised with Alvin and the Chipmunks , which scored $45 million, second ever for G- or PG-rated December debuts. Together they boosted a sluggish box office with a 37% spike over this weekend...
NSA Deepens Tense Alliance with Telecoms
New York Times
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Dec 16, 2007 2:33 PM CST
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The telecom industry will be all ears to proceedings beginning tomorrow on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers will decide if companies helping the government’s warrantless surveillance program should receive immunity. President Bush personally lobbied Congress to further the NSA’s tenuous alliance with the industry, whose members are increasingly...
Even in Jail, Francis Still Not a Guy Gone Mild
New York Times
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Dec 16, 2007 1:55 PM CST
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Wild antics usually sell videotapes for Joe Francis, the iconoclast behind “Girls Gone Wild.” But now they’ve landed the 34-year-old entrepreneur in jail and a slew of legal trouble. “I am not a criminal,” Francis insists, but his trail of civil suits and charges—including use of minors in sex acts, possession of...
Atlanta B-baller Carjacked at Gunpoint
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Dec 16, 2007 1:24 PM CST
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Two gunmen carjacked Atlanta Hawks forward Shelden Williams outside his barbershop in Atlanta last night and were later arrested when they tried another burglary, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Williams was unhurt and played two minutes in last night's game against the Charlotte Bobcats. "It's been a long day, but I'm fine,"...
Sex Slaves Win Cash Damages
Guardian (UK)
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Dec 16, 2007 12:46 PM CST
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In a groundbreaking decision, Britain has awarded four women smuggled from eastern Europe to the UK and subjected by their captors to "forced prostitution, multiple rapes and beatings" more than £140,000. The decision, the first to consider false imprisonment and forced prostitution as categories for awarding damages, will serve as...
Celine's Heart Will Go On
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 12:32 PM CST
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Celine Dion bid a emotional farewell to Las Vegas last night, wrapping her nearly 5-year run at Caesars Palace and admitting that she once wanted to nix the show, the AP reports. She told the audience of 4,000-plus that she had wanted to raise her son instead, but the show was already bankrolled. "I wanted to be more successful as a mother than...
Let Facebook Ring from the Ivory Tower
Washington Post
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Dec 16, 2007 12:11 PM CST
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Move over, preening teenagers: byte-thirsty academics are now frequenting social networking hangouts like Facebook and MySpace. Hoping to snatch a dissertation out of the latest digital craze, plus a side of fame, they’ll all have to line up behind danah boyd (small caps intended), a Berkeley PhD candidate who’s become a “celebrademic”...
Clinton Hopes NH Foundation Will Hold
Washington Post
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Dec 16, 2007 11:41 AM CST
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As Barack Obama draws into a tie with Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire polls, the New York senator looks to be leaning more and more on the relationships she and her husband established back in Bill's campaigning days. Clinton officials shrug off the tightening polls, but some find her camp's lack of energy "scary," reports the Washington...
Bali: What Was Accomplished?
Time
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Dec 16, 2007 11:00 AM CST
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Dismantling the “Berlin Wall of climate change”—the idea that rich nations alone should lead the fight against global warming—was the big breakthrough at the UN climate change conference in Bali, reports Time . It made it possible for the US, after a bruising confrontation and near-collapse of the talks, to finally endorse...
Could the Silicon Chip Max Out?
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 10:23 AM CST
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It’s been 60 years since three Bell Lab scientists invented the transistor, launching an electronics revolution that changed the way we live. Engineers have miniaturized the powerful on-off switches—eventually integrated onto silicon chips—about as far as they can. Now, companies are pouring billions of dollars into research aimed...
Winehouse = Cobain?
Salon
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Dec 16, 2007 9:47 AM CST
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Amy Winehouse’s career, writes James Hannaham for Slate , is just the sort of brilliant train wreck you’d think would get cut short by tragic rock 'n' roll death: With her considerable talent and public penchant for self-destruction, Winehouse evokes other music casualties such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix or Ian Curtis.
Argentina Led by Woman, Still Lags on Gender
Economist
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Dec 16, 2007 9:23 AM CST
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Argentina might have its first elected female president—and her nearest rival was also a woman—but the fairer sex is succeeding politically only on the coattails of husbands, and female-friendly policies get nowhere. In a phenomenon the Economist calls “Peronist”—president Juan Peron had two wives who were leaders—Argentina’s...
Pats-Jets Forecast: Frosty in Every Way
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 16, 2007 8:36 AM CST
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When the videotaper and the whistleblower meet again tonight, a Boston snowstorm won't be the most bitter element in the air at Foxborough. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Jets helmsman Eric Mangini clashed most infamously over signal stealing during their last matchup in September, but the bad blood runs much deeper than that, reports the ...
Turkish Air Strikes Target Kurdish Rebels
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 8:10 AM CST
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Turkey launched its first air strike since 2003 on Kurdish militants in northern Iraq early this morning, targeting a mountainous region near the Turkish border where the government says the PKK has its leadership council and camps. About 50 warplanes were used in the offensive, the AP reports, which lasted just over three hours.
Snow Storm Heads for Northeast
Associated Press
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Dec 16, 2007 7:54 AM CST
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A storm that dumped up to 15 inches of snow across parts of the Midwest, canceling more than 200 flights out of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, headed for the northeast this morning, setting off winter storm watches and warnings, reports the AP. At least two deaths, from accidents on slippery roads in Michigan and Wisconsin, were blamed on the...
Troubled Afghan Mission Under Review
New York Times
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Dec 16, 2007 7:37 AM CST
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With insurgent violence in Afghanistan soaring to the highest level since 2001, the Bush administration and NATO have begun three sweeping reviews of a mission that was considered a success, but now seems increasingly threatened. Lack of coordination in fighting the Taliban and al-Qaeda, rising opium production, and the weakness of the Kabul government...
Pandas Prepare for Risky Duty
Times (UK)
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Dec 16, 2007 6:45 AM CST
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Four panda bears bred in captivity in China will soon be set free in a bid to save their species from extinction. But first, they've got to toughen up. Scientists at the nation's biggest panda breeding center are preparing to release two males and two females into the wild, and they're trying to give the bears street smarts of a sort—how to sense...
After 5 Years, Brits Hand Over Basra to Iraqis
Reuters
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Dec 16, 2007 6:16 AM CST
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Ending five years of British control in southern Iraq, the UK today handed over authority for the wealthy, populous Basra region to the Iraqi government. Residents greeted the handover with jubilation, but the responsibility for Basra—strategically located, an oil export hub and home of Iraq's only port—will prove a tough test for the Baghdad...
Gates Charity Creates New African Woes
Los Angeles Times
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Dec 16, 2007 6:07 AM CST
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The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given $8.5 billion to global health causes and is slowly defeating AIDS in Africa, but it’s creating unexpected new problems for the continent, the LA Times reports. By pouring money into the treatment of AIDS, TB and malaria, it has lured health care workers with higher pay, while basic health...
Stars Take Down Rival Sharks, Politely
Dallas Morning News
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Dec 16, 2007 5:44 AM CST
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Steve Ott put in the Stars' fourth goal and committed Dallas's only two penalties in last night's 4-2 defeat of the toothless Sharks. Stars top scorers Mike Ribeiro and Brenden Morrow each assisted on the other's goal, against "big, strong" San Jose, the Dallas Morning News reports. In other NHL rinks:
49ers 3rd String Stymies Bengals
San Francisco Chronicle
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Dec 16, 2007 5:41 AM CST
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Cincinnati may have thought last night's game was in the bag: San Francisco sat in the dregs of the NFC, boasted one of the weakest offenses, and was starting its third-string quarterback. But Shaun Hill made the first start of his six NFL seasons count, going 21-for-28 to accumulate 197 yards and a 20-13 Niners victory, the Chronicle reports.
Parker-less Spurs Sting Denver 102-91
San Antonio Express-News
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Dec 16, 2007 5:38 AM CST
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Tim Duncan had a slow start coming back from an ankle injury, but Michael Finley and Fabricio Oberto each put up their best nights this season in San Antonio's 102-91 defeat of the Nuggets. The win broke a two-game losing streak, and ensured a perfect home record for the Spurs, reports the San Antonio Express-News. Elsewhere in the south:
Texas Couple Fights to Save Their Orgies
Newsweek
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Dec 16, 2007 5:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
Swingers Jim Trulock and Julie Norris think they should be allowed to have sex in the privacy of their own home—with 100 of their closest friends. Unfortunately, the Dallas suburb they live in disagrees, Newsweek reports. Trulock and Norris have twice been charged with running a sex club after holding wild, sex-drenched parties. “It's...
Scribe Strike May Shake Up TV Biz
Variety
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Dec 16, 2007 5:36 AM CST
(Newser) -
TV bigwigs are looking on the bright side of the scribe strike, they say, vowing to finally make overdue changes to boost the bottom line. Slashing costs, staggering show debuts, and making network TV look and act more like cable are notions that have been kicked around for years. Now may be time to do them: "This is a great opportunity to come...
McCain Earns Endorsements of Key Papers
MSNBC
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Dec 15, 2007 11:20 PM CST
(Newser) -
Two newspaper heavyweights made their endorsements today ahead of the Iowa and New Hampshire voting, and John McCain came out tops in both. The Boston Globe and the Des Moines Register each endorsed McCain as the Republican nominee. The Globe chose Barack Obama among Democrats, while the Register gave the nod to Hillary Clinton.
Underdog Romney Readjusts
Politico
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Dec 15, 2007 9:07 PM CST
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Mitt Romney, recognizing his newfound position as underdog in the Iowa polls, says he will use the remaining three weeks before the caucuses to take aim at front-runner Mike Huckabee, Politico reports. Romney concedes that his big expenditures in time and money have, for the moment, been trumped by Huck’s wit and people skills. “There are...
Peterson Transferred $250K to Son
Fox News
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Dec 15, 2007 7:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
Drew Peterson transferred $250,000 to his son shortly after wife Stacy disappeared, Fox News reports. Investigators subpoenaed bank records showing that Drew wrote six checks to son Steve, fueling speculation that he's trying to protect the money in case he is sued. Peterson declined comment on the money transfers, except to tell ABC News that the...
Letterman Seeks Writers' Deal
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2007 6:33 PM CST
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David Letterman will begin his own talks with striking writers to get his show back on the air in early January, the New York Times reports. Letterman's production company, World Wide Pants, owns the show and will negotiate directly with the writers. Rivals Leno and Conan don't have that option because NBC owns their shows. They, too, plan to return...
On Tape, Sharpton Cuts Deal for Campaign Cash
Philadelphia Inquirer
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Dec 15, 2007 5:53 PM CST
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Someone should have told Al Sharpton he was on candid camera. When the then-presidential candidate agreed to land a multimillion-dollar contract for fundraiser Ronald White in 2003, the FBI was filming the whole thing, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Now Sharpton is under investigation for possible tax fraud and campaign finance violations, but...
Pettitte Admits Using HGH
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2007 5:26 PM CST
(Newser) -
Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, one of the bigger names cited in the Mitchell report on doping in baseball, admitted today that he used human growth hormone, the AP reports. Pettitte says he used HGH twice in 2002 to speed his recovery from an elbow injury. "I accept responsibility for those two days," he said.
Bush's Wins Now Could Be Trouble Later
Washington Post
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Dec 15, 2007 4:53 PM CST
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Christmas came early for President Bush, who’s scored a slew of recent victories over the Democratic Congress. But the wins could threaten both the federal debt and some of his own pet projects, the Washington Post speculates. Bush’s steadfast opposition to tax-increasing spending measures from Democrats could push the federal deficit...
Rich Getting Even Richer, Even Faster
New York Times
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Dec 15, 2007 4:17 PM CST
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America’s economy is great, the New York Times says, if you’re already super rich. Between 2003 and 2005, America’s top 1% saw a meteoric 42.6% jump in income. The rest of us? Well, the middle fifth earned an extra 4.3%, and the bottom fifth just 1.3%—or $200 per household. “This is an economy that’s working,...
Girl Born With 8 Limbs Gets to Go Home
BBC
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Dec 15, 2007 3:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
The 2-year-old girl whose extra limbs were removed in a marathon surgery left a Bangalore hospital today for home. Doctors say Lakshmi Tata, born with four arms and four legs from a conjoined twin, will recover, but they cautioned she will need more surgery, BBC reports. "Lakshmi is normal, eating well and in good spirits," said one surgeon.
Why Jodie Foster Finally Stepped 'Out'
Daily Mail (UK)
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Dec 15, 2007 3:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
Jodie Foster’s tentative move out of the closet, at an awards show last week, may be the work of an old friend who, rumor has it, may be the father of her children, the Daily Mail reports. Foster thanked her live-in partner Cydney Bernard—calling her “my beautiful Cydney”—to fulfill a promise to gay director Randy...
10 Jobs That Just Don't Pay
MarketWatch
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Dec 15, 2007 3:00 PM CST
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If being paid peanuts in a job with no benefits isn't how you picture yourself, avoid these occupations, tracked down by MarketWatch, at all costs: Hosts and hostesses, restaurants, lounges, and coffee shops Counter attendants, cafeterias, food concessions, and coffee shops Ushers, lobby attendants, and ticket takers
White House Tells Lebanon, Pick a Prez!
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2007 2:13 PM CST
(Newser) -
Washington pressed Lebanon today to pick a new president after the office has been left empty for three weeks, the AP reports. The Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch said the election would “restore dignity and respect to the most important Christian office." Lebanese lawmakers will meet on Monday try to try...
Bill Declares Obama a 'Risk'
Editor & Publisher
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Dec 15, 2007 2:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary's hubby sparked a squabble by slamming Barack Obama on Charlie Rose last night, calling the surging Dem "a gifted television commentator" and mere "symbol for change." Not only is Hillary more prepared for the Oval Office, Bill said, "it's not close." Obama reacted today by slamming "slash and burn" politics...
Storm Drops a Foot of Snow on Kansas
Associated Press
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Dec 15, 2007 1:36 PM CST
(Newser) -
A foot of snow hit Kansas this morning as thousands huddled in shelters there, unable to return home after power outages, the AP reports. Oklahoma, which still has 181,000 homes and businesses blacked out, caught a break this morning when heavy snow warnings were canceled. But Missouri is still in the crosshairs as the storm moves across the Midwest...
