Newser Story Index from January, 2008
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.
Scribe to Papers: Stop Endorsing
Attytood
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Jan 31, 2008 8:19 AM CST
(Newser) -
Newspapers should stop endorsing candidates, Philadelphia Daily News blogger Will Bunch writes, because the practice makes editorial pages look disingenuous. Most papers have been stepping up with one nod to a Democrat and another to a Republican, he notes; what could be more ridiculous than supporting Barack Obama and John McCain—whose policies...
Afghan Deputy Governor, 5 Others Killed in Mosque Attack
Times (UK)
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Jan 31, 2008 8:04 AM CST
(Newser) -
A suicide bomber in Afghanistan killed six people, including the deputy governor of the dangerous Helmand province, in an attack inside a mosque today. At least 11 others were injured in the explosion in the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, a focus of reconstruction programs led by the British army, reports the Times of London.
Shell Profits Spike to a Record $27.6B
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 31, 2008 7:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
Soaring crude prices and new oil and gas projects drove Royal Dutch Shell to 2007 profits of $27.6 billion—a new record for a British corporation—despite declining production. While critics branded the results “obscene” and called for a windfall tax, Shell’s CEO called them “satisfactory” and warned that 2008...
Sony Profit Up, Forecast Down
Bloomberg
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Jan 31, 2008 7:44 AM CST
(Newser) -
Slowing US consumer spending and a strengthening yen are prompting Sony Corp to cut its profit forecast for the fiscal year that ends in March. Estimates released yesterday were cut nearly 8%, to $3.85 billion, despite its PlayStation division showing a profit for the first time in two years, reports Bloomberg. Earnings from sales of televisions were...
Rush Limbaugh Rips McCain
CNN
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Jan 31, 2008 7:07 AM CST
(Newser) -
Right-wing pit bull Rush Limbaugh laid into newly anointed GOP frontrunner John McCain yesterday in a mock "non-concession" speech, in which he said McCain is not acceptable to conservatives and blamed the Republican party's "fractured" base for failing to produce a more palatable contender. "All the candidates on our side...
Sea Cable Damage Cuts Internet Service to Mideast
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 31, 2008 6:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
Damage to two underwater cables has huge swaths of the Mideast and South Asia offline and repair ships scrambling to restore internet service to millions. One of the cables has been completely severed, the Financial Times reports. Some 70% of Egypt's service was disrupted, including all of Cairo, and bandwidth in India is reduced nearly 60%.
Britney Carted Off to 'Get Help'
CNN
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Jan 31, 2008 6:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Following an emotionally fraught week, singer Britney Spears was again taken from her home by ambulance early today to "get help," according to Los Angeles police. Spears was taken to UCLA Medical Center after "driving around the neighborhood like a mad woman," a family source told People magazine. "Britney has been prescribed...
China Storms Wallop Winter Crops
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2008 6:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
Winter storms battering China have hit crops hard, the AP reports. "The impact on fresh vegetables and on fruit in some places has been catastrophic," said a Communist Party official, who added that emergency plans were in place to ensure a food supply to people and protect what crops remain. China's worst winter storms in 50 years have already...
2nd Opposition Lawmaker Shot Dead in Kenya
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2008 5:37 AM CST
(Newser) -
A second Kenyan opposition politician has been killed in the country's troubled Rift Valley, only two days after the murder of one of his colleagues. The lawmaker, who won a seat in parliament on the ticket of Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement in December's contested elections, was fatally shot by a traffic cop at a roadblock. The police claimed...
Abortion Pill Maker in Tainted Drug Scandal
New York Times
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Jan 31, 2008 5:00 AM CST
(Newser) -
A Chinese pharmaceutical giant which exports the abortion pill RU-486 to the US is accused of producing tainted cancer medication and of attempting a cover-up. Shanghai Hualian's tainted drugs left 200 Chinese leukemia patients hospitalized, some paralyzed, reports the New York Times . There's no indication US shipments of RU-486 are also tainted....
LeBron Rescues Cavs at Buzzer
Cleveland Plain Dealer
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Jan 31, 2008 4:41 AM CST
(Newser) -
What did LeBron James have to say about his 14 rebounds and 37 points, which cumulated in the game-winning reverse lay-up with .3 seconds remaining? "I just do what I do," James explained. What he did last night was lead a late comeback against Portland, with 17 points in the fourth quarter, reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Senate & White House Battle Today Over Stimulus Plans
Washington Post
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Jan 31, 2008 4:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Senate and White House face off today over economic stimulus packages designed to get consumers spending again. With bipartisan support, the Senate Finance committee approved a $157 billion plan that would give more than $1,000 to almost every family in the US. A White House proposal, backed by the House of Representatives, is considerably less...
Brangelina Snooper Busted
E! Online
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Jan 31, 2008 4:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
A man calling himself a freelance reporter was arrested outside Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Hollywood Hills home yesterday, reports E! News. The pair weren't home at the time, but their housekeeper called the cops after noticing a car blocking their driveway and a man asking people which house belonged to Pitt. The 25-year-old man, who was not identified...
Afghan Children Turning to Life on Street
NPR
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Jan 31, 2008 3:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
An estimated 60,000 children in Afghanistan spend their days hawking trinkets or begging on the streets, and many are their families' sole source of income. Aid workers say the kids are a legacy of the country's 25 years of nearly continuous war, NPR reports. "The majority of them are not going to the school because they are working full time,"...
Australia to Apologize to Aborigines for Stolen Kids
Times (UK)
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Jan 31, 2008 3:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
More than 100,000 Aborigine children were abducted from their parents and placed in Australian orphanages and foster homes in a century-long campaign to assimilate them into European culture. Now new Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd will apologize for the abductions, carried out between 1869 and 1969, reports the Times of London. The policy...
Jazz Convert Knicks Errors Into 100-89 Win
Salt Lake Tribune
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Jan 31, 2008 3:47 AM CST
(Newser) -
Considering the dominating January Utah has had—a 11-2 record with 10 straight home wins—they may have let the Knicks come too close in last night's 100-89 victory. The Jazz never trailed, but did let New York within seven points in the fourth before Deron Williams put the lid on the game, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Elsewhere in the...
Carter, Aggies Upset Longhorns
Battallion
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Jan 31, 2008 3:28 AM CST
(Newser) -
It was a can't-miss night for the Texas A&M Aggies, as the No. 23 team shot 56% from the field en route to an 80-63 victory over their old foes the Longhorns. Texas had more steals and fewer turnovers, but the Aggies have Josh Carter, who produced on offense and tied up the Longhorn defense, reports the Battallion.
Detroit Mayor to City: I'm Sorry!
Detroit Free Press
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Jan 31, 2008 3:22 AM CST
(Newser) -
Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick apologized to Detroit on television last night following news earlier this month of an extramarital affair that he insisted under oath did not exist. "I want to say to the citizens of this great city: I'm sorry," he said. But despite repeated entreaties for forgiveness, Kilpatrick couldn't say exactly what he was...
New York Enjoys First Snow-Free Jan. in 75 Years
LiveScience
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Jan 31, 2008 3:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barring a freak blizzard later today, this month will go down in history as New York City's first January without snow since 1933, reports LiveScience. Only a tiny dusting of snow, "not enough to measure," has fallen so far. An expert from the state's climate office says warmer temperatures and a lack of storms are behind the Big Apple's...
Wild Shoot Down Ducks in Minnesota
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2008 1:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Minnesota Wild scored three goals in a two-minute span in the second period of their 5-1 drubbing of the Anaheim Ducks. Brian Rolston, Marian Gaborik, and Mikko Koivu bunched together those tallies. Jean-Sebastien Giguere was shaky in goal for Anaheim, which has lost four consecutive contests, reports the Associated Press. Elsewhere in the Western...
Warriors Take Down Hornets 116-103 in NO
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2008 1:07 AM CST
(Newser) -
Golden State downed New Orleans 116-103, snapping the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak. Stephen Jackson led the Warriors with 26 points; not far behind was Baron Davis with 23. Chris Paul was his usual amazing self, scoring 28 points and dishing 12 dimes. David West continued his breakout season for the Hornets with 24 points and 13 rebounds,...
St. John Clearly Not Patron Saint of Shooting
Associated Press
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Jan 31, 2008 1:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
St. John's shot a season-low 21.3% from the field and didn't get a basket until five minutes remained in the first half—and No. 6 Georgetown took advantage, trampling the Red Storm 74-42. The intermission tally was an absurd 41-14, and fittingly, a reserve player led the victors with 18. Also in college hoops:
No. 1 Memphis Handles Houston 89-77
Associated Press
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Jan 30, 2008 11:33 PM CST
(Newser) -
The No. 1 Memphis Tigers beat the Houston Cougars 89-77 and at 20-0 matched the best start in school history. Chris Douglas-Roberts had 30 points and Joey Dorsey snared 22 rebounds. Memphis dominated the smaller Houston squad down low; the Tigers outrebounded the Cougars 49-29 and had 44 points in the paint, reports the Associated Press. Dion Dowell...
Sharp-Shooting Raptors Match Team-Best Rout
Associated Press
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Jan 30, 2008 11:19 PM CST
(Newser) -
The best long-range-shooting team in the NBA outdid itself against Washington: Toronto hit 13 of 18 from behind the arc tonight. Those 39 points from three-pointers ended up being the winning margin—tied for the best in team history—in the 122-83 win, in which no Raptor had more than 19 points (Andrea Bargnani). Also in the East:
K State Gives Kansas First Loss
Associated Press
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Jan 30, 2008 10:44 PM CST
(Newser) -
Standout freshman Michael Beasley continued his impressive season by leading the No. 22 Kansas State Wildcats to an 84-75 victory over intra-state rival No. 2 Kansas. Beasley, the nation’s leading rebounder and No. 4 scorer, scored 25 points despite being double- and even triple-teamed all night. Beasley also shot 4-of-4 from deep and grabbed...
Katrina Victims Can't Sue Army Corps
Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
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Jan 30, 2008 10:19 PM CST
(Newser) -
A federal judge ruled yesterday that thousands of New Orleans homeowners affected by devastating levee breaches after Hurricane Katrina can't sue the Army Corps of Engineers, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Judge Stanwood Duval called the case "heart-wrenching" but said a 1928 law gives the Corps immunity from such suits....
Red Wings Come Back to Beat Coyotes
Associated Press
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Jan 30, 2008 9:58 PM CST
(Newser) -
Niklas Lidstrom scored Detroit’s second goal of the third period to lift the Red Wings to a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Phoenix Coyotes. Lidstrom also tallied two assists as Detroit ran its winning streak to five games. Chris Osgood stoned Shane Doan on a breakaway attempt with only 30 seconds remaining to preserve the victory, reports...
Arnold Will Back McCain
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 30, 2008 9:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
With his friend Rudy Giuliani now out of the race, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to endorse John McCain tomorrow, the Los Angeles Times reports. The governor promised recently not to take sides, but aides say things have changed now that Giuliani has dropped out. Schwarzenegger considers both men close friends and was reluctant to choose...
Newt Argues a Conservative Green Plan
New Republic
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Jan 30, 2008 9:07 PM CST
(Newser) -
Newt Gingrich has triggered a debate in the New Republic over how to inspire eco-friendly fuel innovation. He argues that tax breaks and a billion-dollar prize can spark green entrepreneurs to usurp the "oligarchies and dictatorships" that control US oil dependence. But a pair of eco-authors wants more, and argues that Washington must invest...
Sunscreen Hurts Coral Reefs
National Geographic
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Jan 30, 2008 8:42 PM CST
(Newser) -
Sunscreen might prevent a bad burn, but it might also be burning coral reefs, National Geographic reports. Four chemicals found in common lotions awaken viruses in algae living in coral, a new study finds; the algae then explode and can leave the reef without its food supply—causing it to turn white and die.
Danish Museum Pursuing Provocative Islam Cartoons
Der Spiegel
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Jan 30, 2008 8:22 PM CST
(Newser) -
Denmark's Royal Library says it wants to acquire the cartoons of Muslim prophet Mohammed that sparked international protests and violence in 2006, Der Spiegel reports. The library wants to preserve the drawings but won't likely display them in the foreseeable future for fear of stoking controversy. The Danish prime minister described the unrest as...
McCain, Romney Spar in California Debate
Associated Press
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Jan 30, 2008 7:36 PM CST
(Newser) -
Mitt Romney took aim at John McCain's conservative credentials at a debate in California tonight, looking for a chink in the front-runner's armor less than a week before Super Tuesday, the AP reports. McCain, endorsed by Rudy Giuliani hours earlier, shrugged off the attack. The two also sparred on Iraq, with Romney denying he ever backed a timetable...
Cell Phone Can Read to the Blind
NPR
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Jan 30, 2008 7:19 PM CST
(Newser) -
A new cell phone can read aloud to people with impaired vision—and at 4 ounces, it's the smallest such device ever made, NPR reports. The $2,000 phone can help with the myriad daily tasks that seeing people take for granted, like identifying a $20 bill. "All you have to do is snap a picture,” said a blind product demonstrator.
System Vulnerable to 'Genius' Rogue Traders
Reuters
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Jan 30, 2008 6:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
Banks hoping to weed out potential rogue traders need to realize that they can strike anywhere, any time—and that their best traders could be the likeliest suspects, Reuters warns. "All of the things that make a great trader make a great fraudster, too," noted a consultant. Experts say that psychological tests don't work, as great moneymakers...
Gandhi Family Scatters Ashes
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 30, 2008 6:49 PM CST
(Newser) -
An urn of Mohandas Gandhi's ashes was poured into the Arabian Sea today by his great-granddaughter, the Guardian reports, finally giving the Indian pacifist a traditional Hindu burial 60 years after he was assassinated. Dozens of such urns had been distributed across India after Gandhi's death, allowing a connection with mourning countrymen but transgressing...
Video Shows Cattle Abuse at California Feedlot
Washington Post
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Jan 30, 2008 6:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
Cows are zapped with electricity, picked up with forklifts, and subjected to high-pressure jets of water up their noses in a video taken at a California slaughterhouse by an undercover investigator from the US Humane Society, the Washington Post reports. The video shows cattle workers using extreme, and illegal, measures to try to get sick or slow...
Amazon Gets Late Christmas Present
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 30, 2008 5:47 PM CST
(Newser) -
Amazon's net income more than doubled in the fourth quarter, in part because of the retailer's sales gimmicks for the holidays, reports the Wall Street Journal . In addition, Amazon released a cheerier than expected forecast for this year's first quarter. The good news could help soothe Wall Street's nervousness over decreasing consumer spending.
Eli Lilly Could Pay $1B Settlement
New York Times
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Jan 30, 2008 5:40 PM CST
(Newser) -
Drug-maker Eli Lilly could pay more than $1 billion to state and federal authorities to settle an investigation into how the company marketed an antipsychotic drug, the New York Times reports. In 2000-03, Lilly pushed doctors to prescribe Zyprexa as a treatment for age-related dementia—though the drug is approved to treat only schizophrenia...
AT&T and Yahoo Forge Alliance
San Jose Mercury News
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Jan 30, 2008 5:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
Yahoo and AT&T announced a new alliance today in which Yahoo will provide search and advertising on AT&T’s mobile phones, the San Jose Mercury News reports. AT&T in turn will get their att.net web portal redesigned by Yahoo, through which their customers will get access to Yahoo’s services at no additional charge.
Rudy Drops Out, Backs McCain
Associated Press
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Jan 30, 2008 5:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani ended his bid for the presidency as expected today and endorsed John McCain, the AP reports. Giuliani made his announcement at the Ronald Reagan library in California, one day after a disappointing third-place finish in the Florida primary. With McCain at his side, Giuliani called it a "consolation, in the bitterness of losing,"...
Mukasey Won't Budge on Waterboarding
New York Times
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Jan 30, 2008 4:47 PM CST
(Newser) -
Testifying before a Senate committee today, Attorney General Michael Mukasey frustrated attempts to get him to answer on whether waterboarding constitutes torture. "I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to pass definitive judgment on the technique’s legality,” said Mukasey, hedging in a manner that, as it did in past appearances,...
Kidney-Theft Bust Has India Buzzing
New York Times
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Jan 30, 2008 4:31 PM CST
(Newser) -
Police exposure of a criminal ring that has illegally taken hundreds of kidneys over the past nine years has created scandal in India, reports the New York Times . Victims were mostly day laborers lured by offers of work or simply kidnapped at gunpoint. They were forcibly operated on, and their organs were sold to rich Indians and foreigners.
Do New eBay Rules Sell Out Sellers?
New York Times
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Jan 30, 2008 4:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
Newly announced changes to eBay sellers’ fees do not always benefit auctioneers—and the backlash among them has already begun. “This is clearly not a straight fee decrease,” says the editor of AuctionBytes. Indeed, in some cases, sellers wind up paying as much s 33% more.
China Economy Adrift as Snow Keeps Falling
Associated Press
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Jan 30, 2008 4:18 PM CST
(Newser) -
As more snow fell today across China, the unusual inclement weather continued to highlight how vulnerable the country's economy is to disruption. The snow has prevented deliveries of food and fuel—particularly coal—and dozens of factories remain closed. State television announced that the government would mount an "all-out war"...
Clinton-Obama Iciness Has a Little History
New York Times
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Jan 30, 2008 3:58 PM CST
(Newser) -
Contrary to his claims, Barack Obama did indeed snub his presidential rival Monday, writes the New York Times ' Maureen Dowd—who’s not surprised, given the long, untold tale of Clinton coldness to the Illinois senator. It began when friendly Obama, fresh from revealing he might run, was “brushed off” by Hillary; she’s...
Rate-Cut Rally Fades Away
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 30, 2008 3:40 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Fed’s half-point rate cut this afternoon briefly sent stocks soaring—before the rally crumbled and the Dow ended down 37.47 points at 12,442.83. Most Streeters have welcomed the series of interest rate slashes, but some are concerned they are too aggressive and could trigger inflation and other trouble. “The moves, instead of...
Liberal Baptists Meet With Focus on Unity
Christian Science Monitor
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Jan 30, 2008 3:29 PM CST
(Newser) -
Organized by Jimmy Carter and other leaders, thousands of Baptists begin a three-day meeting in Atlanta today to show that the denomination encompasses a broad range of viewpoints and can work together despite differences. Social issues are a focus, the Christian Science Monitor reports, though leaders of the conservative Southern Baptist Convention...
Investors Worry Clear Channel Sale Is Off the Air
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 30, 2008 3:22 PM CST
(Newser) -
Optimism on Wall Street about Clear Channel's $19 billion equity buyout is fading and its share price is spiraling lower as the deal, more than a year in the making, appears to be unraveling—done in by regulatory issues, credit worries, and deteriorating industry conditions, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Drew Peterson Wants to Lie Test on TV
Fox News
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Jan 30, 2008 3:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
After repeatedly refusing requests from the family of his missing wife that he submit to a polygraph test, suspect Drew Peterson is now requesting to do so on national television. Representatives for the former Chicago-area policeman—whose wife, Stacy, has been missing since October and is presumed dead—have been in contact with producers...
Strike Takes Toll on TV Ratings
Variety
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Jan 30, 2008 2:54 PM CST
(Newser) -
The major television networks got a good look yesterday at the toll the 3-month-old writers strike has taken on ratings, Variety reports. Comparing last week to the same period in 2007, the top five networks lost an average 21% of viewers in the 18-49 age group. Fox topped ratings on the strength of American Idol, but was still off 15%.
