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.
Marquette Gets Win Over Upset-Minded South Florida
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 11:43 PM CST
(Newser) -
Lazar Hayward and No. 17 Marquette turned back South Florida’s upset bid with a 62-54 victory. Hayward scored a career-high 23 points and pulled down 8 rebounds. Wesley Matthews helped put the game away for the Golden Eagles (15-4, 5-3 Big East) by hitting three late 3-pointers and scoring 16 points overall, according to the Associated Press.
Pistons Have Need for 'Sheed, Shed Pacers
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 11:08 PM CST
(Newser) -
Rasheed Wallace's play on both ends spurred the Pistons to a 110-104 win over a sharp-shooting Pacers team; he had 24 points, 10 boards, and a key block with half a minute remaining to protect the Detroit lead. With Jermaine O'Neal out due to injury, Indiana hit 12 of 24 three-pointers. Also in pro hoops:
Penguins Skate Past Devils 4-2
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 11:04 PM CST
(Newser) -
Erik Christensen’s goal and assist helped the short-handed Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-2. Pittsburgh is missing Sidney Crosby, who is nursing a sprained ankle, Colby Armstrong (flu) and Tyler Kennedy (mononucleosis). Ryan Conklin had a pair of goals and Ty Conklin had 23 saves. Conklin’s record is now 11-2-2 since...
Wiz Top Raps in OT 108-104
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 10:48 PM CST
(Newser) -
When Gilbert Arenas went down early in the season Washington rallied around Caron Butler; now with Butler out with a strained hip flexor the Wizards got a lift from a relative unknown, Andray Blatche. The 21-year-old Blatche scored 19 points in Washington’s 108-104 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors. Antawn Jamison led the Wizards with...
Home Still Inhospitable for Islanders
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 10:46 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Islanders dropped their fifth straight at home, this time versus the formerly slumping Senators, 5-2. Rick DiPietro, who started in goal for the Eastern All-Star team, stopped 21 of 26, and New York failed to strike until down 3-0 late in the second period. Martin Berger silenced 23 shots. Also in hockey:
McCain Edges Romney in Florida
Politico
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Jan 29, 2008 9:28 PM CST
(Newser) -
John McCain scored a hard-fought victory over Mitt Romney in Florida tonight to establish himself as the Republican front-runner a week ahead of Super Tuesday, Politico reports. McCain got 36% of the vote to Romney's 31%. Rudy Giuliani, who staked his campaign on a win here, managed just 15% and will reportedly drop out. Mike Huckabee had 13%.
Rudy Will Drop Out, Endorse McCain
MSNBC
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Jan 29, 2008 9:06 PM CST
(Newser) -
Rudy Giuliani will drop out of the presidential race in the wake of his weak third-place finish in Florida and endorse John McCain tomorrow, NBC News reports. Giuliani is expected to fly to the Ronald Reagan library in California to make the announcement. "We ran a campaign that was uplifting," a dejected Giuliani told supporters. Asked later...
Clinton Wins Fla.; No Delegates
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 7:59 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary in Florida tonight, but she'll have no delegates to show for it, the AP reports. None of the Democrats campaigned here because the national party stripped the state of convention delegates—a punishment for moving up its primary without permission. Still, 1.5 million Democrats voted, with Clinton getting...
Subway Sues Quiznos Over Ad Contest
New York Times
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Jan 29, 2008 7:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
Subway is suing Quiznos after the sub-maker invited fans to drum up ads for an online contest, the New York Times reports. Two years ago, Quiznos offered $10,000 to the fan whose ad best compared Quiznos subs to Subway's "with Quiznos being superior." Subway fumed after seeing its sandwiches kicked, mocked, and destroyed on a website that...
Sex Convicts May Face Internet Ban
CNET
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Jan 29, 2008 6:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
New York's 25,000 convicted sex criminals will be banned from Facebook and MySpace if a bill unveiled today becomes law, CNET reports. Dubbed E-Stop, the legislation requires sex convicts to submit online identities and screen names so participating sites can block them. Those who committed a sex crime over the Internet would have usage controlled...
US Recession May Imperil Global Tourism
Reuters
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Jan 29, 2008 6:12 PM CST
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The number of international tourists could decrease this year if the US falls into a deep recession, but the UN is "cautiously optimistic" that 2008 will be the fifth straight year of growth, Reuters reports. After 2007's record 898 million tourist trips, a 6.2% jump over 2006, the World Tourism Organization projects continued but slower...
Twins Trade Santana to Mets
USA Today
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Jan 29, 2008 5:35 PM CST
(Newser) -
The New York Mets made a deal this afternoon for Johan Santana, the left-handed, two-time Cy Young winner from the Minnesota Twins, USA Today reports. The Mets are giving Minnesota four players for the star pitcher: outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra, and Kevin Mulvey. But the price seems to be worth it, as Santana will...
Bodyguard: Diana Needed More Security
Reuters
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Jan 29, 2008 5:30 PM CST
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One of the bodyguards protecting Princess Diana and Dodi al-Fayed says a lack of manpower and trust hamstrung the security team in the days preceding the fatal crash, Reuters reports. Kieran Wingfield testified at the Diana inquest that Dodi’s father repeatedly rejected his requests for more guards and that Dodi himself refused to divulge details...
Margaret Truman Daniel Dead
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 29, 2008 5:20 PM CST
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Margaret Truman Daniel died today at 83 after breaking the mold of First Daughter and embarking on careers in singing, acting, and writing, the Los Angeles Times reports. The go-getter braved opera critics as a singer in the 1940s and '50s before acting alongside Jimmy Stewart on radio and television. Her career cooled after she married a future...
Romney Lets Guard Down, Boosts Appeal
Time
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Jan 29, 2008 5:02 PM CST
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Mitt Romney's inner nerd is showing, and allowing voters to see it may make him seem likable enough to get elected, Time reports. The candidate's conservative attack dog persona flooded airwaves for months but didn't play well outside of Michigan; now, the tired candidate is letting his dweeby, number-crunching, spreadsheet-loving self out.
House OKs Stimulus Package
Washington Post
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Jan 29, 2008 4:57 PM CST
(Newser) -
The House approved a $146 billion economic stimulus package today with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill, which would give most Americans rebates of $600, passed by a vote of 385-35 and now heads to the Senate, reports the Washington Post . Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked the Senate to approve its version quickly, without changes that would stall...
Bush Opens Up About History of Addiction
Baltimore Sun
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Jan 29, 2008 4:46 PM CST
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President Bush recalled his battles with alcoholism during a visit to a faith-based social services organization today in Baltimore. "I drank too much at one time in my life," said the president, adding that his experiences showed him that people "can find inspiration from a higher power" in the fight against addiction, reports...
Clinton Plans Fla. Visit, Denies She's Campaigning
Washington Post
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Jan 29, 2008 4:39 PM CST
(Newser) -
Hillary Clinton will make her first official campaign appearance in Florida tonight just as primary voting ends, honoring the letter if not the spirit of the Democrats' pledge not to campaign in states that leapfrogged Super Tuesday without party permission. Barack Obama's campaign called the projected winner's timing "too cute by half,"...
Tech Pioneers Try Parallel Startups
MarketWatch
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Jan 29, 2008 4:06 PM CST
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With the cost of startups falling, more and more entrepreneurs are hedging their bets by developing two or more projects at once. Joshua Rosen, who is planning to launch two different companies at technology conference DEMO tomorrow, lets MarketWatch take a look. “We see a lot of serial entrepreneurs,” said a DEMO exec, but Rosen “is...
Another Day, Another Rally
CNN
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Jan 29, 2008 3:43 PM CST
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Stocks rose for a second straight session today thanks to a late rally. Flagging techs dragged down the markets initially, but then got a boost from a cheerful report on durable goods orders on the first day of the Fed meeting, reports CNNMoney. The Dow climbed 96.41 to 12,480.30, the Nasdaq 8.15 to 2,358.06, and the S&P 8.33 to 1,362.30
SEC Delves Deeper Into Execs' Pay
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 29, 2008 3:28 PM CST
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The SEC wants companies to tell shareholders how they measure an executive’s performance when calculating pay, but companies are balking, reports the Wall Street Journal. Their reticence has prompted the commission to send out a second wave of letters to some of the 350 companies it originally queried after receiving somewhat vague answers.
Online Dating Sites Seek Love's Secret Algorithm
New York Times
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Jan 29, 2008 3:10 PM CST
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Online matchmakers eHarmony and Match.com have staked millions on the idea that they, not you, can best find your perfect match, thanks to their secret algorithms. So do they work? Lots of academics want to know, the New York Times reports, but while the companies yearn for scientific, peer-reviewed findings, they’re reluctant to release their...
Midlife Crisis Is Real—and International
USA Today
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Jan 29, 2008 2:55 PM CST
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Just being middle-aged may lead to depression, with sufferers most vulnerable at age 44, USA Today reports. Studying more than 2 million people over 35 years led British and American economists to conclude that middle age is the nadir of lifetime happiness. "If you are finding life tough in your 40s, maybe it's useful to know this is completely...
A Good Day for EU File Sharers
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 2:46 PM CST
(Newser) -
The EU’s high court ruled today that telecommunications companies are not obligated to turn over the personal data of individuals suspected of illegally sharing copyrighted material online, the AP reports. The European Court of Justice said member nations could create laws allowing for the disclosure of file-sharers’ info in civil suits,...
World Frowns on American For-Profit Bail System
New York Times
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Jan 29, 2008 2:28 PM CST
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For the rest of the world, America’s bail bonds industry is a horrifying concept. Bail bondsmen are a private, commercial wing of the US justice system, putting up defendants’ bail in exchange for a non-refundable fee, the New York Times explains. To critics, the system is unfair and corrupt, forcing even innocent people to pay up. But...
TV Makers Scoff at Your Puny Recession
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 29, 2008 2:04 PM CST
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Who cares if there’s a recession? The Super Bowl’s on! Even after the worst retailing Christmas in years, the makers of flat-panel, high-definition TVs are confident their trendy product will keep selling, spurred by falling prices and prime tube-watching events like the Olympics. One market-research firm is predicting LCD sales will jump...
Both Parties Claim Victory in Key German Election
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 29, 2008 2:01 PM CST
(Newser) -
Two days after an ugly campaign in the German state of Hesse ended with voting for a new premier, both sides are claiming victory in the bellwether contest. Roland Koch, the hard-right incumbent and the CDU's de facto No. 2, obtained only a 0.1% majority—a dismal performance for a man often mentioned as a future chancellor. His xenophobic campaign...
Storms Clobber Western US
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 1:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
Fresh from inundating California with rain, a big storm system is dumping massive amounts of snow on the Western US. Three snowmobilers are missing in Colorado, the Navajo Nation has declared a state of emergency, and northern Idaho is staggering under about 20 inches of snow, reports the AP. "They got clobbered," says one meteorologist.
Three Biggest Myths of Election 2008
Der Spiegel
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Jan 29, 2008 1:42 PM CST
(Newser) -
The riveting US election is beholden to three big story lines, each of which is a myth, writes Der Spiegel ’s Gabor Steingart: Washington is broken, lobbyists have too much influence, and partisanship is evil. Candidates keep rehearsing those popular lines—and insisting they have the best bead on change—but none passes the laugh...
Verizon Q4 Profits Ride Wireless Gains
New York Times
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Jan 29, 2008 1:38 PM CST
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Verizon Communications, riding a wave of wireless and Internet growth, yesterday announced net income rose to $1.07 billion for the fourth quarter, up nearly 4% from $1.03 billion a year ago, reports the New York Times . Verizon Wireless, second to AT&T in the US, added some 2 million customers in the quarter, despite a slumping economy.
eBay Slashes Listing Fee in Half
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 1:33 PM CST
(Newser) -
eBay is chopping its listing fee in half and will take a bigger chunk out of the price of sold items, a change that should lower risk for sellers and encourage more listing, the AP reports. The online auction giant is also changing the way its search results work, the company announced at a gathering today of its top 200 sellers: Negative feedback...
Waterboarding Returns to Spotlight
Reuters
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Jan 29, 2008 1:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
American interrogators' tactics included waterboarding sometime before 2005, but the tactic "has not been used in years," the ex-director of national intelligence says. John Negroponte's acknowledgment, the most definitive confirmation yet of the Bush administration's use of waterboarding, comes as Michael Mukasey prepares to return to Capitol...
British Cleric to Pope: Party On!
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 29, 2008 1:14 PM CST
(Newser) -
An Anglican archbishop from the land of Monty Python brought Pope Benedict a hoppy Holy Grail this month, reports the Guardian. Archbishop of York John Sentamu had heard that Benedict liked Black Sheep, so he brought along the British ale and a custom brew dubbed Holy Grail to his audience with the pontiff.
Candidates Court Fla.'s Senior Power Brokers
Politico
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Jan 29, 2008 1:03 PM CST
(Newser) -
The road to the GOP nomination may pass through The Villages, a retirement community outside Orlando with an upper-crust, Republican-heavy population. “If you don’t get your condos to the polls, you don’t win,” a professor says of the 350 retirement communities in Florida, where 40% of voters are over 65, Politico reports. And...
Mormons Look to Next Prophet
Newsweek
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Jan 29, 2008 12:55 PM CST
(Newser) -
The death of longtime president-prophet Gordon Hinckley left the Mormon church with a void but not a leadership gap, Newsweek reports. The most senior leader and all-but-certain successor is Thomas Monson. The 80-year-old's selection, which must be unanimous, would all but guarantee a smooth transition for a thriving church undergoing some growing...
Barbaro's Ashes to Rest at Churchill Downs
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 12:48 PM CST
(Newser) -
Churchill Downs, the site of Barbaro’s greatest triumph, will also be his final resting place. The 2006 Kentucky Derby winner’s ashes will be occupy a space outside the racetrack gates, beside a bronze statue. “When we think about Barbaro, we think about him running around the track out there,” said the late horse’s co-owner....
Foreclosures Soar; Nev. Leads Trend
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 12:28 PM CST
(Newser) -
The number of US properties in foreclosure in 2007 was 79% higher than in 2006, with about 1.3 million homes in some phase of the process, the AP reports. Nevada had the highest foreclosure rate, with 3.4% of households in foreclosure. That's 66,316 filings on 34,417 households, or a 200% jump from 2006. And late payments were more frequent late in...
Breakup Rumors Swirl Around SocGen
Reuters
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Jan 29, 2008 12:11 PM CST
(Newser) -
Wounded Société Générale is looking more and more like a takeover target, prompting France's prime minister to jump into the fray today and say the government would defend the country's second-largest bank against hostile raids, the Wall Street Journal reports. With a $7.1 billion loss from fraudulent trades shaking confidence...
Britney's Antics Fuel Tabloid Economy
Associated Press
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Jan 29, 2008 11:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
Whether she's flouncing out of a courthouse or wigging out on hospital staffers, pop star Britney Spears and her antics are creating their own celebrity media economy, the AP reports. For OK! magazine, the "Spears industry" helped double revenue in 2007 to $51 million. "We're on constant Britney alert," said an editor.
Why Kennedys Tapped Obama
Time
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Jan 29, 2008 11:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
Why did three members of the Kennedy clan anoint Barack Obama as the heir to Camelot and Democratic standard-bearer? In interviews with Time , Ted and Caroline Kennedy both point to the Illinois senator as uniquely capable of overcoming factionalism and uniting the country. As for the timing— before Super Tuesday—Ted Kennedy said, "It...
Brazil Govt. Targets Carnival Debauchery
AFP
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Jan 29, 2008 11:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
As Brazil prepares to indulge in the 5-day party known as Carnival, the president is spearheading a campaign to get samba-crazed revelers to practice safe sex and drink in moderation. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told Brazilians to have fun in his weekly radio address, AFP reports, but reminded them that "the next week we have to work and look after...
3rd Place Would Finish Rudy
Dallas Morning News
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Jan 29, 2008 11:20 AM CST
(Newser) -
A poor showing in today's Florida primary could scuttle Rudy Giuliani’s campaign, his chairman admitted yesterday. "If he is second or first, he certainly has momentum. But if he finishes third, it's going to be hard to get momentum,” Houston lawyer Pat Oxford told the Dallas Morning News . Giuliani is touting himself as an odds-defying...
Consumer, Housing Numbers Slump
Bloomberg
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Jan 29, 2008 11:14 AM CST
(Newser) -
Consumer confidence fell a bit less than expected but still approached a 2-year nadir in January, reinforcing fears that Americans will put the brakes on personal spending. In other economic reports out today, the S&P/Case-Shiller housing-price index report showed a 7.7% year-over-year drop for November, Bloomberg reports, and durable good sales...
Belichick's Final Obstacle: His First Dynasty
New York Times
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Jan 29, 2008 10:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
In the final game of a historic season, it is a remarkable irony that Patriots coach Bill Belichick must defeat the team he once helped lead to greatness: the Giants, with whom he won two Super Bowls as defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells. Though he has won three more with New England, Belichick's New York defenses remain his bellwether of excellence.
Germans Confront Nazi Legacy
New York Times
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Jan 29, 2008 10:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
As Germany marks the 75th year since Hitler seized power, the effort to come to terms with Nazi horrors is anything but over, the New York Times reports. The minister of culture yesterday green-lighted construction on two new Berlin-based Holocaust memorials, one to murdered Gypsies and one to gay and lesbian victims. A host of other Holocaust museums...
Wall Street Journal Moving to Midtown
New York Observer
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Jan 29, 2008 10:18 AM CST
(Newser) -
For 119 years, the Wall Street Journal has been based a few minutes away from the legendary financial hub it's named for, but new owner Rupert Murdoch plans to move it uptown, the New York Observer reports. The paper's staff is reportedly happy with the move, but more changes are in store: Murdoch plans to add a sports page and a lifestyle supplement.
Exercise Slows Aging Process
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 29, 2008 9:54 AM CST
(Newser) -
People who exercise don't just feel younger, they clinically are younger—by up to 10 years, according to a new study. And while exercise slows the aging process, a sedentary lifestyle accelerates it, reports the Daily Telegraph. The findings are "a message that could be used by clinicians to promote the anti-aging effect of regular exercise,"...
Sallie Mae Drops $900M Lawsuit
Washington Post
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Jan 29, 2008 9:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
Beleaguered student loan provider Sallie Mae yesterday dropped its $900 million lawsuit against the onetime suitors who bailed on a $25.3 billion buyout after the credit crunch caused would-be investors to walk away, reports the Washington Post . By agreeing not to seek the penalty from investment firm JC Flowers and several partners, Sallie Mae secured...
Still Clicking, Lego Turns 50
AFP
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Jan 29, 2008 8:57 AM CST
(Newser) -
When a Dane filed a patent for interlocking toy bricks 50 years ago yesterday, it began a revolution that has produced enough Legos to stretch to the moon 10 times over, writes Time . The toy, named Forbes' "Toy of the Century" in 1999, survived stiff competition from higher-tech playthings and video games in recent years.
Obama Snubs Clinton at State of the Union
Chicago Tribune
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Jan 29, 2008 8:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
Forget President Bush's last hurrah, it was Barack Obama’s snub of Hillary Clinton that had the press box chattering last night, reports the Chicago Tribune. After greeting seemingly the entire room, including the Supreme Court and the Joint Chiefs, Obama was standing by his seat next to Ted Kennedy when Hillary Clinton leaned over to shake...
