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.
Is This Man Unfit to Print?
New Republic
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Jan 25, 2008 2:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
The criticism that rained down on the New York Times following the hiring of William Kristol as the op-ed page's second conservative voice not only hasn't died down, the New Republic reports, but is mounting—and the call is coming from inside the house. Multiple mostly anonymous current and former staff members blast what one calls "...
Ailing Yahoo! Can't Keep Up With the Times
ABC News
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Jan 25, 2008 2:25 PM CST
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After miraculously withstanding the dot-com crash, Yahoo is again poised to fall face first off a virtual cliff, with its plummeting stock hardly masked by national economic disrepair. But despite hemorrhaging users to Google, the company is still a huge presence on the Web, with 3 billion daily hits. So "what has gone wrong at Yahoo?" asks...
Aaaay! Milwaukee to Cast Fonz in Bronze
Milwaukee Business Journal
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Jan 25, 2008 2:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
Milwaukee’s about to get way cooler. Thanks to private donations and teenagers who bought “Bronze the Fonz” T-shirts, the tourist bureau has raised $85,000 to erect a permanent bronze tribute to Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli, the leather-jacketed biker in the Milwaukee-set '70s hit sitcom “Happy Days.” But the...
Electric Roadster Ready to Roll
DailyTech
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Jan 25, 2008 2:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
The long-awaited, all-electric Tesla Roadster has passed federal safety tests with flying colors and will finally go into production March 17—albeit with temporary transmissions on the first models, reports DailyTech. The interim transmissions mean the $100,000 Roadster will do zero to 60 in 5.7 seconds, instead of the promised 4, until Tesla...
Ex-eBay CEO Weighs Run for Calif. Governor
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 25, 2008 1:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
Meg Whitman, who is resigning as eBay’s CEO after 10 years, is considering running for governor of California as a Republican, the LA Times reports. Whitman became “fascinated” by politics while bundling donations for ex-colleague Mitt Romney, a source says, and some California Republicans like her executive chops and deep pockets.
Critics Like the Way She Move
Metacritic
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Jan 25, 2008 1:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
It's not the most original of plots—a young woman needs to win a step-dancing competition to escape poverty—but strong dance sequences and acting manage to more than save the MTV production of How She Move, critics say. "The story itself is a hodgepodge of devices, conceits, and half-baked motives," writes John Anderson of...
Deal on Stimulus Package Puts Heat on Senate
Washington Post
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Jan 25, 2008 1:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
The $150 billion package of tax breaks for consumers and businesses rolled out yesterday was the first show of bipartisan cooperation sans bloodletting since the Democrats won control of Congress a year ago, the Washington Post observes . It took panic over a looming recession to make it happen, and it could still be undone in the Senate.
Edwards Gains on Clinton in SC
State (Columbia, SC)
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Jan 25, 2008 1:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
South Carolina may yet smile on native son John Edwards, polls taken since Monday's debate indicate. A Zogby poll released yesterday and a Clemson University Palmetto Poll out today show the ex-senator in a statistical tie with Hillary Clinton—both well behind Barack Obama, reports The State. Common to every poll registering Edwards' gains...
Online Journal Readers Can't Put Wallets Away (Yet)
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2008 12:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
Puncturing the hopes of thrifty web surfers everywhere, the Wall Street Journal will continue to charge for much of its online content, at least for now. New owner Rupert Murdoch's apparently unplanned announcement at the World Economic Forum in Davos came after months of dithering over whether to keep access mostly subscriber-only, reports the ...
Ex-Gov Romney Butters Up Ex-Gov Bush
Politico
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Jan 25, 2008 12:30 PM CST
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The president’s brother is no longer in office and says he’s staying neutral in Tuesday’s Florida primary, but that hasn’t kept Mitt Romney from hiring Jeb Bush’s staff members, running on his issues—and calling the former governor “quite a guy.” “I love him,” said a smitten Mitt.
To an Artist Dying Young
Times (UK)
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Jan 25, 2008 12:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
Heath Ledger's death at 28 recalls a long tradition of bright young careers snuffed out before their time, from Shelley and Keats to James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. The Romantic ideal of the doomed artist holds great appeal, Ben Macintyre writes in the Times of London, but we go too far with the "morbid celebration of pointless death and wasted...
Newcastle Sells for $15.2B
Forbes
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Jan 25, 2008 12:00 PM CST
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After months of playing hard-to-get, UK brewer Scottish & Newcastle has agreed to a $15.2 billion takeover bid from Carlsberg and Heineken. The offer tops a bid rejected in March by 11.1%, Forbes reports. Experts expected S&N to squeeze out a better deal, especially after it filed a lawsuit to pressure Carlsberg. S&N’s stock rose...
Wolfowitz Appointment Draws Fire
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2008 11:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
Paul Wolfowitz is returning to the Bush administration as a security adviser, and even before it was official, the appointment was drawing boos, the New York Times reports. The controversial figure will take Fred Thompson’s seat as chairman of the Secretary of State’s International Security Advisory Board, an influential group studying...
Are Foreign Bailouts Good for the Economy?
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 25, 2008 11:30 AM CST
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Wall Street firms, battered by the collapsing subprime market, shored by their bottom lines by selling ownership stakes to foreign governments. Although the investments represent a significant change in the US economy, they drew little public criticism and no government intervention. That reaction—or lack thereof—follows years of lobbying...
From Clerk to Rogue Trader to Facebook Laughingstock
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2008 11:14 AM CST
(Newser) -
You don’t need a fancy education to lose $7.2 billion and become an Internet laughingstock. In the clubby world of French banking, Société Générale traders are usually the Gallic equivalent of Ivy League MBAs, but Jérôme Kerviel, a lowly biz school grad, worked his way up from shy clerk to secretive junior...
Latest Rambo a Bloody Mess
Rotten Tomatoes
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Jan 25, 2008 10:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sylvester Stallone's latest, and last, film about Vietnam vet/mercenary John Rambo isn't short on violence. "Body parts go flying, blood gets applied with a fire hose, spleens decorate the trees," writes Andrew Wright of the Portland-Mercury. Unfortunately, the movie is short on everything else. "One would be hard-pressed to imagine...
IAC and Liberty Lock Horns in Legal Battle
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 25, 2008 10:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Media moguls Barry Diller and his onetime backer, John Malone, have gone head to head, with each man’s corporation suing the other’s. Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp and Malone’s Liberty Media, which owns a majority voting stake in IAC, are at odds over an IAC restructuring plan that would reduce Liberty’s voting power...
Feds Raid Calif. Museums, Gallery in Stolen Art Case
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2008 10:38 AM CST
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Federal agents raided four California museums and a private gallery in a smuggling investigation into stolen foreign antiquities, reports the New York Times . The gallery allegedly imported looted goods from Thailand, Myanmar, and China, and individuals got inflated tax write-offs for donating them to museums. No charges have yet been filed in the...
X Games Grow More Xtreme
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2008 10:23 AM CST
(Newser) -
Snowboarders and freeskiers are waging a cold war, the New York Times reports, putting top competitors under constant pressure to develop next-generation tricks. At this year's Winter X Games, under way in Aspen, the stakes are higher than ever: A new event named big air calls for competitors to launch themselves off a 65-foot jump.
Pakistan Pounds Enclave of Militant Leader
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 25, 2008 10:03 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Pakistani army has launched an assault on Baitullah Mehsud’s forces in Waziristan, reports the Guardian . The Pakistani government suspects Mehsud, a militant leader who has spent time in Guantanamo, of masterminding the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. The army claimed 40 kills, while Mehsud’s side said they only lost seven fighters—and...
Bruni Greets Journo Topless
Daily Mail (UK)
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Jan 25, 2008 10:02 AM CST
(Newser) -
Carla Bruni may have the press corps covering her fiancé—French President Nicolas Sarkozy—atwitter, but it can’t be said that the model keeps cards too close to her chest, reports the Daily Mail' s Simon Mills, whom Bruni recently greeted with these fittingly plain words: “Sorry for being topless.” The effect on...
Berlusconi Eyes 3rd Term as Prime Minister
Bloomberg
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Jan 25, 2008 9:52 AM CST
(Newser) -
Italy's president will begin crisis talks tonight with top politicians after last night's resignation of PM Romano Prodi. While a technocrat will probably take the helm of the country for a few months, Silvio Berlusconi is waiting in the wings, and the richest man in Italy has his sights set on a third term as prime minister. With the center-right...
Asteroid to Whiz Past Earth
LiveScience
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Jan 25, 2008 9:49 AM CST
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A big asteroid is set to speed past Earth on Tuesday night, and those with amateur telescopes will get a peek. NASA discovered the object in October, and scientists believe it's between 500 and 2,000 feet in diameter, LiveScience reports. It won't come closer than 334,000 miles to Earth; the impact of an asteroid of its size would be disastrous.
Clock's Ticking on World Oil Supply: Shell CEO
Times (UK)
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Jan 25, 2008 9:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
World oil demand will outpace supply in 7 years, Shell's CEO warned in an email sent to employees in advance of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Jeroen van der Veer sees nuclear power, oil sands, and other unconventional energy sources replacing oil and gas out of necessity, whether or not world governments embrace renewable energy,...
US 'Passport Cards' Coming This Spring
USA Today
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Jan 25, 2008 9:18 AM CST
(Newser) -
American citizens traveling by land or sea between the US and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda will have the option of using a wallet-sized card in place of a passport beginning this spring, reports USA Today . The handy-sized card is designed to make life a bit easier for border-area residents who make frequent crossings.
Did SocGen Crash the Markets and Dupe the Fed?
Financial Times (UK)
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Jan 25, 2008 8:55 AM CST
(Newser) -
When Société Générale execs uncovered the scale of rogue trader Jérôme Kerviel's fraud last weekend, they had no choice but to unwind his positions. And while they did warn French regulators, SocGen kept the Monday sell-off under wraps, to avoid even bigger losses than the $7 billion hit it took. So did the...
Pill Guards Against Ovarian Cancer: Study
Canadian Press
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Jan 25, 2008 8:45 AM CST
(Newser) -
Oral contraceptives "confer powerful and long-lasting protection" against ovarian cancer, a cancer that often proves deadly because it's so difficult to diagnose early, a new study has found. The effect is so strong that women who take the pill for 10 years will enjoy significant protection against ovarian cancer even 30 years later, the...
U2 3D a Virtual Triumph
Rotten Tomatoes
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Jan 25, 2008 8:26 AM CST
(Newser) -
Sitting through the IMAX feature U2 3D isn't exactly like being at one of the legendary rock band's shows. "In many ways, watching the movie is better ," writes Desson Thomson of the Washington Post . The film's incredibly lifelike presentation of U2 "shows how closely technology can match" the kind of "natural high"...
Gates Optimism Buoys Mood in Davos
Times (UK)
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Jan 25, 2008 7:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
An upbeat, optimistic Bill Gates livened up the dour World Economic Forum in Davos with a speech on "creative capitalism" and a pledge of $306 million to support African agriculture. After two days of muttering about the subprime fallout and an American recession, Gates told delegates yesterday to cast off their fear and construct "a...
Gazans Reopen Border Wall
BBC
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Jan 25, 2008 7:36 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hours after Egypt began sealing its breached border with Gaza, Palestinians reopened a new hole in the wall with a bulldozer, the BBC reports. Egyptian security forces had begun using human chains and water cannons this morning to stem the flow of Palestinians, but authorities offered little resistance when the Palestinans countered.
US Seeks Iraqi Authority to Continue War
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2008 7:10 AM CST
(Newser) -
The White House is negotiating with Iraq what critics say is a treaty in all but name and could tie the hands of a future administration, reports the New York Times . The US is insisting on being granted continued authority to conduct the war and calling for legal protection for private contractors from the Baghdad government in a deal that administration...
Federer Falls in Straight Sets
Associated Press
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Jan 25, 2008 6:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic cruised past Roger Federer in straight sets today, bouncing him from the Aussie Open in a surprise end to his run of 10 straight grand slam finals. Federer looked off his game, lacking his typically dominant ground strokes and drop shots. “I’ve created a monster that I need to win every tournament,” Federer...
Bids Top $2.8B for Wireless Spectrum
Reuters
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Jan 25, 2008 6:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Federal Communication Commission’s much-anticipated auction of five “blocks” of airwaves kicked off yesterday with first-round bids of nearly $2.8 billion, including a $1.24 billion offer for the “C” block, considered the most valuable commercially, reports Reuters. Bidders could use the 700-MHz spectrum to offer wireless...
New York Times Endorses Clinton, McCain
New York Times
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Jan 25, 2008 5:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
In an ornery pair of editorials, the New York Times has endorsed Hillary Clinton and John McCain for their parties' presidential primaries. The paper's editorial board calls itself "hugely impressed" with the New York senator's credentials and says "she is capable of uniting and leading." The Times regrets Clinton's vote to...
Saddam Faked Nukes to Scare Iran, Not US: Agent
CBS News
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Jan 25, 2008 5:18 AM CST
(Newser) -
Saddam Hussein revealed in FBI interrogations that he had no nuclear or biological weapons of mass destruction, but hid that fact to avoid invasion by Iran—and was stunned when the US invaded. "For him, it was critical that he was seen as the strong, defiant Saddam to prevent the Iranians from reinvading Iraq," an FBI agent tells "60...
Beirut Car Bomb Kills 7
BBC
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Jan 25, 2008 4:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
At least seven people are dead and more injured after what appeared to be a car bomb ripped through a Christian suburb of Beirut this morning. Lebanese TV showed footage of a black crater surrounded by burning, mangled vehicles. One of the victims was a captain in the country's police intelligence unit, although authorities have not commented on whether...
Ledger's Family Prepares for Final Farewell
New York Daily News
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Jan 25, 2008 4:22 AM CST
(Newser) -
Heath Ledger's grieving father is flying to New York today from Australia to make funeral arrangements for the 28-year-old actor found dead in his Soho loft, reports the New York Daily News . "He wants to be with his son," said a Manhattan funeral home director. Ledger's ex Michelle Williams also arrived back from a film shoot in Sweden...
Clintons, Obama Play Nice
Washington Post
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Jan 25, 2008 4:06 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hostilities in the Clinton-Obama feud appear to have ceased for now, reports the Washington Post . Attack ads were pulled from South Carolina local radio, starting with one from Hillary Clinton's campaign calling Barack Obama a closet Republican and a Ronald Reagan fan. The Obama response ad, saying Hillary will "say anything and change...
Poll: Most Expect Recession but Aren't Hurting—Yet
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 25, 2008 3:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
The vast majority of Americans are convinced the nation is sinking into a recession—but most are not feeling the pinch themselves and have no plans to tighten their belts just yet, according to a Los Angeles Times/ Bloomberg poll. A year ago a similar poll showed widespread confidence that the economy was in good shape.
Wild Buries Avalanche to Take First Place
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Jan 25, 2008 3:21 AM CST
(Newser) -
Niklas Backstrom made 28 saves and three different players scored goals as the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche in Denver 3-2 last night, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The win gives the Wild first place in the Northwest Division heading into the All-Star break. Pavol Demitra, Brian Rolston and Todd Fedoruk scored for Minnesota....
Mexico City Launches Women-Only Buses
Associated Press
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Jan 25, 2008 3:15 AM CST
(Newser) -
Women in Mexico City will now have the option to ride buses that only allow female travelers after an outcry against groping and ogling by male passengers. The city already offers women-only subway cars during rush hour traffic, but bus travel is far more popular. Several cities around the world have similar services.
Arizona's Offense Smokes No. 6 WSU
Arizona Republic (Phoenix)
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Jan 25, 2008 3:01 AM CST
(Newser) -
Chase Budinger had 22 points as Arizona beat red-hot No. 6 Washington State 76-64 last night in a Pac-10 game, the Arizona Republic reports. The Wildcats hadn't beaten an opponent ranked this high since beating Oklahoma State in the 2005 NCAA Tournament. The Cougars, 16-2, were holding opponents to 52.5 points coming in. In other Top 25 action:
Saucy Texts Could Sink Detroit Mayor
Detroit News
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Jan 25, 2008 2:59 AM CST
(Newser) -
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's continuing administration looks doubtful after the emergence of over 14,000 racy text messages between him and his chief of staff. Kilpatrick and his aide, both married during their steamy affair, testified under oath last year that they weren't sexually involved with one another. They were grilled as part of a lawsuit...
Alfredsson's 7 Points Strike Down Lightning
Ottawa Sun
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Jan 25, 2008 2:03 AM CST
(Newser) -
Daniel Alfredsson had his sixth career hat trick plus four assists to lead the Ottawa Senators to an 8-4 rout of the Tampa Bay Lightning last night, reports the Ottawa Sun . The seven points gives Alfredsson 67 for the season, tops in the NHL. The win snapped a three-game Ottawa losing streak. “It was a fun night,” said Alfredsson. In...
Spurs Hand Heat 15th Straight Loss
Miami Herald
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Jan 25, 2008 1:32 AM CST
(Newser) -
The San Antonio Spurs outscored Miami 25-17 in the fourth period to hand the Heat their 15th straight loss last night, 90-89 reports the Miami Herald . Tim Duncan had 30 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Spurs. With Shaquille O'Neal out, Dwayne Wade scored 27 points, but fumbled the ball on a last-second drive that could have won it. In other NBA...
Mistake Wipes Out 14,000 Email Accounts
Associated Press
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Jan 25, 2008 12:34 AM CST
(Newser) -
Embarrassed executives at Charter Communications have given $50 credits to each of 14,000 customers who had their email accounts accidentally wiped out, the AP reports. A company spokeswoman apologized for the technical error that saw active accounts erased in a routine clearout of unused email accounts.The cable company didn't realize their mistake...
No. 4 Duke Handles Hokies 81-64
Associated Press
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Jan 24, 2008 11:04 PM CST
(Newser) -
There was no upset for Virginia Tech this time, as Duke rode an 18-9 second-half run to an easy 81-64 victory in front of a disappointed Hokies crowd. Two top-ten Blue Devils teams have fallen to Virginia Tech since the latter's move to the ACC three years ago. Also in ranked college hoops:
Devils Choke Big Against Canadiens 4-3
Associated Press
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Jan 24, 2008 11:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Devils coughed up a third-period two-goal lead in their last game before the All-Star break, losing 4-3 to the Canadiens. Montreal's Chris Higgins flipped the game-winner out of a scrum in front of the net; Brian Smolinski also had two goals. Cristobal Huet turned away just 10 shots in the win. Also in hockey:
Woods Torrid at Torrey Pines
Los Angeles Times
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Jan 24, 2008 10:56 PM CST
(Newser) -
Tiger Woods opened 2008 on a strong note, firing a five-under 67 on the first day of the Buick Invitational. His partner at Torrey Pines last year, Troy Matteson, led all golfers with 65; he and Woods were playing the meatier South Course. Brad Adamonis, out on the relatively lightweight North Course, banged home a 66, good for second.
Obama's Top 10 List for Dave
Associated Press
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Jan 24, 2008 10:12 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama tonight became the latest presidential hopeful to appear on David Letterman, where he counted down a list of campaign promises we can be pretty sure he won't keep, the Chicago Tribune reports. Three words: Vice President Oprah Pronounce the word nuclear, nuclear I'll find money in the budget to buy Letterman a decent...
